and it will be enough to say that not a word or look passed between Edward and myself but was misconstrued.  I took care never to be alone with our guest—­nor to give any just ground for suspicion—­but my caution availed nothing.  An easy remedy would have been to forbid Edward the house, but this my husband’s pride rejected.  He preferred to endure the jealous torment occasioned by the presence of his wife’s fancied lover, and inflict needless anguish on her, rather than brook the jeers of a few indifferent acquaintances.  The same feeling made him desire to keep up an apparent good understanding with me; and so far I seconded his views, for I shared in his pride, if in nothing else.  Our quarrels were all in private, when no eye could see us—­no ear listen.”

“Yours is a melancholy history, madam,” remarked Alizon, in a tone of profound interest.

“You will think so ere I have done,” returned the lady, sadly.  “The only person in my confidence, and aware of my secret sorrows, was Elizabeth Device, who with her husband, John Device, then lived at Rough Lee.  Serving me in the quality of tire-woman and personal attendant, she could not be kept in ignorance of what took place, and the poor soul offered me all the sympathy in her power.  Much was it needed, for I had no other sympathy.  After awhile, I know not from what cause, unless from some imprudence on the part of Edward Braddyll, who was wild and reckless, my husband conceived worse suspicions than ever of me, and began to treat me with such harshness and cruelty, that, unable longer to endure his violence, I appealed to my father.  But he was of a stern and arbitrary nature, and, having forced me into the match, would not listen to my complaints, but bade me submit.  ‘It was my duty to do so,’ he said, and he added some cutting expressions to the effect that I deserved the treatment I experienced, and dismissed me.  Driven to desperation, I sought counsel and assistance from one I should most have avoided—­from Edward Braddyll—­and he proposed flight from my husband’s roof—­flight with him.”

“But you were saved, madam?” cried Alizon, greatly shocked by the narration.  “You were saved?”

“Hear me out,” rejoined Mistress Nutter.  “Outraged as my feelings were, and loathsome as my husband was to me, I spurned the base proposal, and instantly quitted my false friend.  Nor would I have seen him more, if permitted; but that secret interview with him was my first and last;—­for it had been witnessed by my husband.”

“Ha!” exclaimed Alizon.

“Concealed behind the arras, Richard Nutter heard enough to confirm his worst suspicions,” pursued the lady; “but he did not hear my justification.  He saw Edward Braddyll at my feet—­he heard him urge me to fly—­but he did not wait to learn if I consented, and, looking upon me as guilty, left his hiding-place to take measures for frustrating the plan, he supposed concerted between us.  That night I was made prisoner in my room, and endured