rriage of the first Lord Montbarry.

Was it possible that the Countess, in the present condition of her
mind, supposed herself to be exercising her invention when she was only
exercising her memory?

The question involved considerations too serious to be made the subject
of a hasty decision. Reserving his opinion, Henry turned the page, and
devoted himself to the reading of the next act. The manuscript
proceeded as follows:--

'The Second Act opens at Venice. An interval of four months has
elapsed since the date of the scene at the gambling table. The action
now takes place in the reception-room of one of the Venetian palaces.

'The Baron is discovered, alone, on the stage. He reverts to the
events which have happened since the close of the First Act. The
Countess has sacrificed herself; the mercenary marriage has taken
place--but not without obstacles, caused by difference of opinion on
the question of marriage settlements.

'Private inquiries, instituted in England, have informed the Baron that
my Lord's income is derived chiefly from what is called entailed
property. In case of accidents, he is surely bound to do something for
his bride? Let him, for example, insure his life, for a sum proposed
by the Baron, and let him so settle the money that his widow shall have
it, if he dies first.

'My Lord hesitates. The Baron wastes no time in useless discussion.
"Let us by all means" (he says) "consider the marriage as broken off."
My Lord shifts his ground, and pleads for a smaller sum than the sum
proposed. The Baron briefly replies, "I never bargain." My lord is in
love; the natural result follows--he gives way.

'So far, the Baron has no cause to complain. But my Lord's turn comes,
when the marriage has been celebrated, and when the honeymoon is over.
The Baron has joined the married pair at a palace which they have hired
in Venice. He is still bent on solving the problem of the
"Philosopher's Stone." His laboratory is set up in the vaults beneath
the palace--so that smells from chemical experiments may not incommode
the Countess, in the higher regions of the house. The one obstacle in
the way of his grand discovery is, as usual, the want of money. His
position at the present time has become truly critical. He owes debts
of honour to gentlemen in his own rank of life, which must positively
be paid; and he proposes, in his own friendly manner, to borrow the
money of my Lord. My Lord positively refuses, in the ru