"It’s a secret of course," said Bramber, "and I’m breaking my word!" "Are you the husband of Penelope?" asked Titania. "I—I am," replied Bramber, "and the cause, so to speak, of the notice in the _Times_." "I thought so," said Titania. "Look at me, Ronald. Do I look mad? does my hair stand on end? do I seem wild and wandering?" "No, of course not," said Bramber. "I’m telling you this because I feel I ought to. Now I’m going to her at once. This last news was rather unexpected, of course. Good-bye—" "Stay!" shrieked Titania, but she was too late. Bramber was down-stairs and bounded into his motor-car and let her rip. "What’s the matter with everybody?" wailed Titania. "The marquis made me happy, but now I’m confused, very sadly confused, and I can’t think she’s married them all." Gordon was announced, and in about three sentences he told her that, though the affair was a secret, he was Penelope’s husband. "I knew you were," said Titania. "When I heard you wanted to see me, I knew you were coming to say so. Oh, good-bye. Ask Lord Bradstock to send for a doctor. Good-bye, Mr. Gordon. Go now." And Gordon went, just as De Vere came in. "You have come to say you have married Penelope, I _know_," said Titania. "I feel sure you have." "I have a heart for sorrow, for disgrace, for all things lovely. I—I am responsible for everything, even the _Times_," said De Vere, who was as pale as plaster. "Leave me," said Titania. "Go and see her at once. Settle who it is. Go!" And when he had gone, Carteret Williams and Carew came one after the other with the same confession. And she received them sadly, and appeared to wander. When the house was empty, she sent for Bradstock. "Augustin, dear Augustin," she said, "you won’t let them put me in an asylum. Have me taken care of at home, won’t you? Don’t let Goring give me cruel keepers. I am quite gentle and broken down!" "I won’t let anything beastly be done," said Bradstock. "But, my dear child, what’s the matter?" And Titania told him: "By the Lord," said Bradstock, "they are damned good chaps! but where the devil are we?" He went down-stairs when the doctor came and told everything to Goring. And Goring told Bob. For Titania forgot to mention to Augustin that all the husbands had insisted it was a dead secret. "I say," said Bob, "of all the larks I’ve ever heard of, this takes the cake! I wonder what I ought to do. I think I’ll ask Baker." And he asked Baker. And in less than twenty-four hours the world knew all about it. *CHAPTER XV.*