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The New Magdalen

Page 163

"Do you wish me to go?" he asked.

"Add to all your other kindnesses to me," she answered. "Wait for me in

that room."

She pointed to the door that led into the dining-room. Julian hesitated.

"You promise to let me know it if I can be of the smallest service to

you?" he said.

"Yes, yes!" She followed him as he withdrew, and added, rapidly, in a

whisper, "Leave the door ajar!"

He made no answer. As she returned to Horace he entered the dining-room.

The one concession he could make to her he did make. He closed the door

so noiselessly that not even her quick hearing could detect that he had

shut it.

Mercy spoke to Horace, without waiting to let him speak first.

"I have promised you an explanation of my conduct," she said, in accents

that trembled a little in spite of herself. "I am ready to perform my

promise."

"I have a question to ask you before you do that," he rejoined. "Can you

speak the truth?"

"I am waiting to speak the truth."

"I will give you an opportunity. Are you or are you not in love with

Julian Gray?"

"You ought to be ashamed to ask the question!"

"Is that your only answer?"

"I have never been unfaithful to you, Horace, even in thought. If I had

_not_ been true to you, should I feel my position as you see I feel it

now?"

He smiled bitterly. "I have my own opinion of your fidelity and of his

honor," he said. "You couldn't even send him into the next room without

whispering to him first. Never mind that now. At least you know that

Julian Gray is in love with you."

"Mr. Julian Gray has never breathed a word of it to me."

"A man can show a woman that he loves her, without saying it in words."

Mercy's power of endurance began to fail her. Not even Grace Roseberry

had spoken more insultingly to her of Julian than Horace was speaking

now. "Whoever says that of Mr. Julian Gray, lies!" she answered, warmly.

"Then Lady Janet lies," Horace retorted.

"Lady Janet never said it! Lady Janet is incapable of saying it!"

"She may not have said it in so many words; but she never denied it when

_I_ said it. I reminded her of the time when Julian Gray first heard

from me that I was going to marry you: he was so overwhelmed that he was

barely capable of being civil to me. Lady Janet was present, and could

not deny it. I asked her if she had observed, since then, signs of

a confidential understanding between you two. She could not deny the

signs. I asked if she had ever found you two together. She could not

deny that she had found you together, this very day, under circumstances

which justified suspicion. Yes! yes! Look as angry as you like! you

don't know what has been going on upstairs. Lady Janet is bent on

breaking off our engagement--and Julian Gray is at the bottom of it."

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