IV.—­Explanation and Reconciliation

Quite unexpectedly a summons came from Lady Delacour, and Belinda returned to her at once, to find her so seriously ill that she persuaded her at last to consent to an operation, and inform her husband of the dangerous disease from which she was suffering.  He believed from her preamble that she was about to confess her love for another man; he tried to stop her with an emotion and energy he had never shown until now.

“I am not sufficiently master of myself.  I once loved you too well to hear such a stroke.  Say no more—­trust me with no such secret! you have said enough—­too much.  I forgive you, that is all I can do; but we must part, Lady Delacour!” said he, breaking from her with agony expressed in his countenance.

“The man has a heart, a soul, I protest!  You knew him better that I did, Miss Portman.  Nay, you are not gone yet, my lord!  You really love me, I find.”

“No, no, no!” cried he vehemently.  “Weak as you take me to be, Lady Delacour, I am incapable of loving a woman who has disgraced me, disgraced herself, her—­” His utterance failed.

“Oh, Lady Delacour,” cried Belinda, “how can you trifle in this manner?”

“I meant not,” said her ladyship, “to trifle; I am satisfied.  My lord, I can give you the most irrefragable proof that whatever may have been the apparent levity of my conduct, you have had no serious cause for jealousy.  But the proof will shock, disgust you.  Have you courage to know more?  Then follow me.”

He followed her.  Belinda heard the boudoir door unlocked.  In a few minutes they returned.  Grief and horror and pity were painted on Lord Delacour’s countenance as he passed hastily out of the room.

“My dearest friend, I have taken your advice; would to heaven I had taken it sooner!” said Lady Delacour.  “I have revealed to Lord Delacour my real situation.  Poor man, he was shocked beyond expression.  The moment his foolish jealousy was extinguished, his love for me revived in full.”

Lady Delacour awaited the operation with the utmost fortitude; but, to everyone’s joy, it was found there was no necessity for it; she had been deceived by a villainous quack, who knew too well how to make a wound hideous and painful, and had continued her delusion for his own advantage.

Meanwhile, Belinda having permitted Mr. Vincent to address her, he was being given a fair trial whether he could win her love.  They had heard reports of Clarence Hervey’s speedy marriage with an heiress, Miss Hartley, and found them confirmed by a letter Lady Delacour received from him.  Some years ago he had formed the romantic idea of educating a wife for himself, and having found a beautiful, artless girl in the New Forest, he had taken her under his care on the death of her grandmother.

She felt herself bound in honour and gratitude to him when her fortune changed, and she was acknowledged by her father, Mr. Hartley, who had long been searching for her, and who had traced her at last by the picture Clarence Hervey had caused to be exhibited.