At first he did not take his eyes from the papers; when he raised them, he was struck by the wretchedness manifest on her altered cheek; for a moment he forgot his own acts and fears, and asked with consternation—­“Dearest girl, what is the matter; what has happened?”

“Nothing,” she replied at first; “and yet not so,” she continued, hurrying on in her speech; “you have secrets, Raymond; where have you been lately, whom have you seen, what do you conceal from me?—­why am I banished from your confidence?  Yet this is not it—­I do not intend to entrap you with questions—­one will suffice—­am I completely a wretch?”

With trembling hand she gave him the paper, and sat white and motionless looking at him while he read it.  He recognised the hand-writing of Evadne, and the colour mounted in his cheeks.  With lightning-speed he conceived the contents of the letter; all was now cast on one die; falsehood and artifice were trifles in comparison with the impending ruin.  He would either entirely dispel Perdita’s suspicions, or quit her for ever.  “My dear girl,” he said, “I have been to blame; but you must pardon me.  I was in the wrong to commence a system of concealment; but I did it for the sake of sparing you pain; and each day has rendered it more difficult for me to alter my plan.  Besides, I was instigated by delicacy towards the unhappy writer of these few lines.”

Perdita gasped:  “Well,” she cried, “well, go on!”

“That is all—­this paper tells all.  I am placed in the most difficult circumstances.  I have done my best, though perhaps I have done wrong.  My love for you is inviolate.”

Perdita shook her head doubtingly:  “It cannot be,” she cried, “I know that it is not.  You would deceive me, but I will not be deceived.  I have lost you, myself, my life!”

“Do you not believe me?” said Raymond haughtily.

“To believe you,” she exclaimed, “I would give up all, and expire with joy, so that in death I could feel that you were true—­but that cannot be!”

“Perdita,” continued Raymond, “you do not see the precipice on which you stand.  You may believe that I did not enter on my present line of conduct without reluctance and pain.  I knew that it was possible that your suspicions might be excited; but I trusted that my simple word would cause them to disappear.  I built my hope on your confidence.  Do you think that I will be questioned, and my replies disdainfully set aside?  Do you think that I will be suspected, perhaps watched, cross-questioned, and disbelieved?  I am not yet fallen so low; my honour is not yet so tarnished.  You have loved me; I adored you.  But all human sentiments come to an end.  Let our affection expire—­but let it not be exchanged for distrust and recrimination.  Heretofore we have been friends—­lovers—­let us not become enemies, mutual spies.  I cannot live the object of suspicion—­you cannot believe me—­let us part!”

“Exactly so,” cried Perdita, “I knew that it would come to this!  Are we not already parted?  Does not a stream, boundless as ocean, deep as vacuum, yawn between us?”