only knew,
there's cause enough to leave a hundred husbands."

"Nothing seemed to rouse her," Mrs. Vimpany continued, without
regarding the interruption. "I went with her to the farm to see her
former maid, Rhoda. The girl's health is re-established; she is engaged
to marry the farmer's brother. Lady Harry was kind, and said the most
pleasant things; she even pulled off one of her prettiest rings and
gave it to the girl. But I could see that it was an effort for her to
appear interested--her thoughts were with her husband all the time. I
was sure it would end in this way, and I am not in the least surprised.
But what will Mr. Mountjoy say when he opens the letter?"

"Back to her husband!" Fanny repeated. "Oh! what shall we do?"

"Tell me what you mean. What has happened?"

"I must tell you. I thought I would tell Mr. Mountjoy first: but I must
tell you, although--" She stopped.

"Although it concerns my husband. Never mind that consideration--go
on." Fanny told the story from the beginning.

When she had finished, Mrs. Vimpany looked towards the bedroom door.
"Thank God!" she said, "that you told this story to me instead of to
Mr. Mountjoy. At all events, it gives me time to warn you not to tell
him what you have told me. We can do nothing. Meantime, there is one
thing you must do--go away. Do not let Mr. Mountjoy find you here. He
must not learn your story. If he hears what has happened and reads her
letter, nothing will keep him from following her to Passy. He will see
that there is every prospect of her being entangled in this vile
conspiracy, and he will run any risk in the useless attempt to save
her. He is too weak to bear the journey--far too weak for the violent
emotions that will follow; and, oh! how much too weak to cope with my
husband--as strong and as crafty as he is unprincipled!

"Then, what, in Heaven's name, are we to do?"

"Anything--anything--rather than suffer Mr. Mountjoy, in his weak
state, to interfere between man and wife."

"Yes--yes--but such a man! Mrs. Vimpany, he was present when the Dane
was poisoned. He _knew_ that the man was poisoned. He sat in the chair,
his face white, and he said nothing. Oh! It was as much as I could do
not to rush out and dash the glass from his hands. Lord Harry said
nothing."

"My dear, do you not understand what you have got to do?"

Fanny made no reply.

"Consider--my husband---Lord Harry--neither of them knows that you were
present. You can retu