“Guy’s pretensions at an end!  For heaven’s sake, tell me all you know of this affair—­for up to this moment I am in utter ignorance of every thing regarding his position among the Callonby family.”

“Unfortunately,” replied Trevanion, “I know but little, but still that little is authentic—­Guy himself having imparted the secret to a very intimate friend of mine.  It appears, then, that your cousin, having heard that the Callonbys had been very civil to you in Ireland, and made all manner of advances to you—­had done so under the impression that you were the other nephew of Sir Guy, and consequently the heir of a large fortune—­that is, Guy himself—­and that they had never discovered the mistake during the time they resided in Ireland, when they not only permitted, but even encouraged the closest intimacy between you and Lady Jane.  Is so far true?”

“I have long suspected it.  Indeed in no other way can I account for the reception I met with from the Callonbys.  But is it possible that Lady Jane could have lent herself to any thing so unworthy.”—­

“Pray, hear me out,” said Trevanion, who was evidently struck by the despondency of my voice and manner.  “Guy having heard of their mistake, and auguring well to himself from this evidence of their disposition, no sooner heard of their arrival in Paris, than he came over here and got introduced to them.  From that time he scarcely ever left their house, except to accompany them into society, or to the theatres.  It is said that with Lady Jane he made no progress.  Her manner, at the beginning cold and formal, became daily more so; until, at last, he was half disposed to abandon the pursuit—­in which, by the by, he has since confessed, monied views entered more than any affection for the lady —­when the thought struck him to benefit by what he supposed at first to be the great bar to his success.  He suddenly pretended to be only desirous of intimacy with Lady Jane, from having heard so much of her from you—­affected to be greatly in your confidence—­and, in fact, assumed the character of a friend cognizant of all your feelings and hopes, and ardently desiring, by every means in his power, to advance your views—­”

“And was it thus he succeeded,” I broke in.

“’Twas thus he endeavoured to succeed,” said Trevanion.

“Ah, with what success I but too well know” said I.  “My uncle himself showed me a letter from Guy, in which he absolutely speaks of the affair as settled, and talks of Lady Jane as about to be his wife.”

“That may be all quite true; but a little consideration of Guy’s tactics will show what he intended; for I find that he induced your uncle, by some representations of his, to make the most handsome proposals, with regard to the marriage, to the Callonbys; and that, to make the story short, nothing but the decided refusal of Lady Jane, who at length saw through his entire game prevented the match.”