The New Magdalen

He looked at her with an ironical affectation of surprise.

"You are strangely forgetful to-day," he said. "Surely your friend Mr.

Julian Gray might have told you? I am astonished to hear that he has not

had his private interview yet."

"I don't understand you, Horace."

"I don't want you to understand me," he retorted, irritably. "The proper

person to understand me is Julian Gray. I look to _him_ to account to

me for the confidential relations which seem to have been established

between you behind my back. He has avoided me thus far, but I shall find

my way to him yet."

His manner threatened more than his words expressed. In Mercy's nervous

condition at the moment, it suggested to her that he might attempt to

fasten a quarrel on Julian Gray.

"You are entirely mistaken," she said, warmly. "You are ungratefully

doubting your best and truest friend. I say nothing of myself. You will

soon discover why I patiently submit to suspicions which other women

would resent as an insult."

"Let me discover it at once. Now! Without wasting a moment more!"

There had hitherto been some little distance between them. Mercy had

listened, waiting on the threshold of her door; Horace had spoken,

standing against the opposite wall of the corridor. When he said his

last words he suddenly stepped forward, and (with something imperative

in the gesture) laid his hand on her arm. The strong grasp of it almost

hurt her. She struggled to release herself.

"Let me go!" she said. "What do you mean?"

He dropped her arm as suddenly as he had taken it.

"You shall know what I mean," he replied. "A woman who has grossly

outraged and insulted you--whose only excuse is that she is mad--is

detained in the house at your desire, I might almost say at your

command, when the police officer is waiting to take her away. I have a

right to know what this means. I am engaged to marry you. If you won't

trust other people, you are bound to explain yourself to Me. I refuse

to wait for Lady Janet's convenience. I insist (if you force me to say

so)--I insist on knowing the real nature of your connection with

this affair. You have obliged me to follow you here; it is my only

opportunity of speaking to you. You avoid me; you shut yourself up

from me in your own room. I am not your husband yet--I have no right to

follow you in. But there are other rooms open to us. The library is at

our disposal, and I will take care that we are not interrupted. I am now

going there, and I have a last question to ask. You are to be my wife in

a week's time: will you take me into your confidence or not?"