As Gertrude listened, the blood came back to her face, and two flames into her eyes. She looked at Richard from head to foot. "You are not weak," she said, "you are in your senses, you are well and strong; you shall tell me what you mean. You insult the best friend I have. Explain yourself! you insinuate foul things,--speak them out!" Her eyes glanced toward the door, and Richard's followed them. Major Luttrel stood on the threshold. "Come in, sir!" cried Richard. "Gertrude swears she'll believe no harm of you. Come and tell her that she's wrong! How can you keep on harassing a woman whom you've brought to this state? Think of what she was three months ago, and look at her now!" Luttrel received this broadside without flinching. He had overheard Richard's voice from the entry, and he had steeled his heart for the encounter. He assumed the air of having been so amazed by the young man's first words as only to have heard his last; and he glanced at Gertrude mechanically as if to comply with them. "What's the matter?" he asked, going over to her, and taking her hand; "are you ill?" Gertrude let him have her hand, but she forbore to meet his eyes. "Ill! of course she's ill!" cried Richard, passionately. "She's dying,--she's consuming herself! I know I seem to be playing an odious part here, Gertrude, but, upon my soul, I can't help it. I look like a betrayer, an informer, a sneak, but I don't feel like one! Still, I'll leave you, if you say so." "Shall he go, Gertrude?" asked Luttrel, without looking at Richard. "No. Let him stay and explain himself. He has accused you,--let him prove his case." "I know what he is going to say," said Luttrel. "It will place me in a bad light. Do you still wish to hear it?" Gertrude drew her hand hastily out of Luttrel's. "Speak, Richard!" she cried, with a passionate gesture. "I will speak," said Richard. "I've done you a dreadful wrong, Gertrude. How great a wrong, I never knew until I saw you to-day so miserably altered. When I heard that you were to be married, I fancied that it was no wrong, and that my remorse had been wasted. But I understand it now; and he understands it, too. You once told me that you had ceased to love Captain Severn. It wasn't true. You never ceased to love him. You love him at this moment. If he were to get another wound in the next battle, how would you feel? How would you bear it?" And Richard paused for an instant with the force of his interrogation. "For God's sake," cried Gertrude, "respect the dead!" "The dead! Is he dead?" Gertrude covered her face with her hands. "You beast!" cried Luttrel. Richard turned upon him savagely. "Shut your infernal mouth!" he roared. "You told me he was alive and well!" Gertrude made a movement of speechless distress. "You would have it, my dear," said Luttrel, with a little bow.