"You know who and what I am," she answered, turning to him, her grave grey eyes fixed upon his. "I have been forced against my inclination to frequent the gambling-rooms through months, nay years, and I knew Mariette Lepage long ago as the most vicious of all the women who hovered about the tables in search of dupes." By her manner he saw that she was annoyed, and jealous that he should have visited and dined with this woman so strangely referred to in his father's will, and he hastened to re-assure her that there was but one woman in the world for him. "Then you will not marry her?" she cried eagerly. "Do not, for my sake. If you knew all you would rather cast the money into yonder sea than become her husband." "Well," he said, "it is imperative that she should be offered the bribe to become my wife. If she refuses I shall gain fifty thousand pounds. I have thought of buying her refusal by offering to divide equally with her the sum I shall obtain." "Excellent!" she cried, enthusiastically. "I never thought of that. If she will do so the cruel punishment your father intended will be turned to pleasure, and you will be twenty-five thousand pounds the richer." "I will approach her," he said, after brief hesitation. "You know, darling, that I love you far too well to contemplate marriage with any other woman." "But remember, I can never become your wife," she observed huskily, her eyes behind her veil filled to overflowing with tears. "I am debarred from that." "Ah! no," he cried, "don't say that. Let us hope on." "All hope within me is dead," she answered gloomily. "I care nothing now for the future. In a few brief days we are leaving here, and I shall say farewell, George, never again to meet you." "You always speak so strangely and so dismally," he said. "You will never tell me anything of the reason you are so irrevocably bound to Zertho. In the old days at Stratfield you always took me into your confidence." "Yes, yes," she answered, quickly. "I would tell you everything if I could--but I dare not. You would hate me." "Hate you. Why?" "You could no longer grasp my hand or kiss my lips," she faltered. "No, you must not, you shall not know, for I could not bear that you of all men should spurn me, leave me, and remember me only with loathing. I could not bear it. I would rather kill myself." She was trembling, her breast rose and fell with the exertion of the steep ascent, and her face was blanched and haggard. Her attitude, whenever he referred to Zertho, always mystified and puzzled him. Had she not spoken vaguely of some strange crime? Yet he loved her with all the strength of his being, and the sight of her terrible anxiety and dread pained him beyond measure. He was ready and willing to do anything to assist and liberate her from the mysterious thraldom, nevertheless she preserved a silence dogged and complete. He strove to discern a way out of the complicated situation, but could discover none.