Blind Love

"Good cause!" echoed Fanny. "Oh! good gracious! If she 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."