and all that. There was no end to her
little attentions. Of course all that sort of thing had on me the
effect which it always has, and I rapidly began to make an ass of
myself. I began to hint about those other affairs--and at last I told
her I didn't believe she'd forgiven me."

Here Jack made an awful pause, and looked at me in deep solemnity.

I said nothing, but puffed away in my usual thoughtful manner.

"The moment that I said that," continued Jack, "she turned and gave me
the strangest look. 'Forgiven you,' said she; 'after all that has
passed, can _you_ say that?'

"'Well,' I said, 'you don't seem altogether what you used to be--'

"'I!' she exclaimed. 'I not what I used to be?--and _you_ can look _me_
in the face and say that.'

"And now, Macrorie, listen to what an ass can do.

"You see, her language, her tone, and her look, all piqued me. But at
the same time I didn't know what to say. I didn't love her--confound
her!--and I knew that I didn't--but I wanted to assert myself, or some
ether damned thing or other--so what did I do but take her hand."

I puffed on.

"She leaned back in her chair. 'Ah, Jack,' she sighed, 'I don't
believe you care any thing for poor me.'"

Jack paused for a while, and sat looking at the floor.

"Which was quite true," he continued, at last. "Only under the
circumstances, being thus challenged, you know, by a very pretty widow,
and being an ass, and being conceited, and being dazzled by the
surroundings, what did I do but begin to swear that I loved her better
than ever?

"'And me alone!' she sighed.

"'Yes, you alone!' I cried, and then went on in the usual strain in
which impassioned lovers go under such circumstances, but with this
very material difference, that I didn't happen to be an impassioned
lover, or any other kind of a lover of hers at all, and I knew it all
the time, and all the time felt a secret horror at what I was saying.

"But the fact of the business is, Macrorie, that woman is--oh--she is
awfully clever, and she managed to lead me on, I don't know how. She
pretended not to believe me--she hinted at my indifference, she spoke
about my joy at getting away from her so as to go elsewhere, and said a
thousand other things, all of which had the effect of making me more of
an ass than ever, and so I rushed headlong to destruction."

Here Jack paused, and looked at me despairingly.

"Well?" said I.

"Well?" said he.

"Go on," said I. "Make an end