behind her chair, and laid my hand on it. "This
lady is my affianced wife," I replied.

He did not change color. For an instant not a muscle moved. He did not
stir a step from his place before the fire, where he stood, with his
gaze fixed on her face. For one instant he turned his widely opened
eyes on me--brief as the glance was, I felt it was critical. Then his
lids quivered and drooped completely over his eyes, absolutely veiling
the whole man, and, to my amazement, he laughed aloud.

But even as he did so, he spread his hands quickly toward us as if to
apologize, and ghastly as the comment was, grotesque even, as it all
seemed, I think we both understood. He hardly needed to say, "Pardon
me," as he quickly recovered his strong hold on himself.

The next instant he was again standing erect before the fire, with his
hands thrust deep into his pockets, and his voice was absolutely calm
as he turned toward me and said, with a smile under his half lowered
heavy lids, "I promised you, when I asked you to accompany me, that
before we slept to-night I would explain my singular request. I hardly
thought that I should have to do it, whether I would or not, under
these circumstances. Indeed, it appears that you have the right to
demand of me the explanation I so flippantly offered you an hour ago.
I am bound to own that, had I dreamed that you knew this lady--that a
relation so intimate existed between you--I should surely never have
done of my own will this which Fate has presumed to do for me. What
can I say to you two that will help or mend this--to you, my fellow
musician, who were willing to stand my friend in need, without
question; and to the woman you love, and to whom I owe an eternal
debt--that we may have no doubts of one another in the future? I
cannot make excuses well, even if I have the right to. I only hope we
are all three so constituted that we may be able to feel that for a
little we have been outside common causes and common results, and that
you may listen to an explanation which may seem strange, pardon me,
and part from me without resentment, being sure that I shall suffer,
and yet be glad."

The face against the high-backed chair was very pale. She closed her
eyes. His gaze was on her. He marked the change, I was sure. He thrust
his hands still deeper into his pockets, as if to brace himself, and
went on. "Last night her pure eyes looked into mine. I had seen her
face before me night after night, ne