“No, I am alone, Madam.  I never shall be married.”

There may have been some slight motion of a hand which beckoned me to a seat at the opposite side of the table.  As I sat, I saw her search my face carefully, slowly, with eyes I could not read.  At last she spoke, after her frequent fashion, half to herself.

“It succeeded, then!” said she.  “Yet I am not happy!  Yet I have failed!”

“I pause, Madam,” said I, smiling.  “I await your pleasure.”

“Ah, God!  Ah, God!” she sighed.  “What have I done?” She staggered to her feet and stood beating her hands together, as was her way when perturbed.  “What have I done!”

“Threlka!” I heard her call, half chokingly.  The old servant came hurriedly.

“Wine, tea, anything, Threlka!” She dropped down again opposite me, panting, and looking at me with wide eyes.

“Tell me, do you know what you have said?” she began.

“No, Madam.  I grieve if I have caused you any pain.”

“Well, then, you are noble; when look, what pain I have caused you!  Yet not more than myself.  No, not so much.  I hope not so much!”

Truly there is thought which passes from mind to mind.  Suddenly the thing in her mind sped across to mine.  I looked at her suddenly, in my eyes also, perhaps, the horror which I felt.

“It was you!” I exclaimed.  “It was you!  Ah, now I begin to understand!  How could you?  You parted us! You parted me from Elisabeth!”

“Yes,” she said regretfully, “I did it It was my fault.”

I rose and drew apart from her, unable to speak.  She went on.

“But I was not then as I am now.  See, I was embittered, reckless, desperate.  I was only beginning to think—­I only wanted time.  I did not really mean to do all this.  I only thought—­Why, I had not yet known you a day nor her an hour.  ’Twas all no more than half a jest”

“How could you do it?” I demanded.  “Yet that is no more strange.  How did you do it?”

“At the door, that first night.  I was mad then over the wrong done to what little womanhood I could claim for my own.  I hated Yturrio.  I hated Pakenham.  They had both insulted me.  I hated every man.  I had seen nothing but the bitter and desperate side of life—­I was eager to take revenge even upon the innocent ones of this world, seeing that I had suffered so much.  I had an old grudge against women, against women, I say—­against women!”

She buried her face in her hands.  I saw her eyes no more till Threlka came and lifted her head, offering her a cup of drink, and so standing patiently until again she had dismissal.

“But still it is all a puzzle to me, Madam,” I began.  “I do not understand.”