She paused aghast, for she had risen and approached Eugene in her excitement, and now stood gazing as Adah might have gazed upon the face of her husband Cain, when for the first time his countenance was revealed to her in all its undisguised hatred and wrathfulness of expression. "Eugene!" she murmured, her voice melting into a tone of mingled surprize, compassion and concern. "Eugene!" and she laid her hand soothingly on his arm. He turned his eyes, flashing defiance upon her. "Well," he cried, "and if they were, pray, what of that?" "If--if" she cried, returning his gaze unshrinkingly, "then--then your brother, Eugene, should not _now_--never should have been a banished exile from his home and heritage. They have wronged him basely, who ever, on the plea of madness, deprived such a man of honour, hope and happiness. Farewell indeed, Eugene, if this _could_ be the case. Farewell, at least, till you have repaired your grievous error, and restored Eustace Trevor to all which has been wrongfully, deceitfully taken from him." She turned away, but Eugene Trevor seized her hand. "Stop, Mary," he said in a low voice of subdued and concentrated rage. "Stop, if you please, and hear _me_. You may remember, you said, a little time ago, farewell, _if_ I did not reveal to you all you desired to know. I have told you nothing yet, though you seem indeed too ready to conclude every thing of the blackest and most preposterous description against me. But although you are so eager for any excuse to rid yourself of me, for ever; though the heart you once swore would scarcely have been torn from me, were I proved to be the greatest villain upon earth, has shown itself a very woman's in its weakness, its feebleness, its inconstancy. Yes, Mary, villain as you may wish to consider me, _I_ preserve at least the virtue of _constancy_. I love you as much as ever, Mary. I will not give you up. What," he exclaimed, fixing his eyes upon her pale and startled countenance, and advancing towards her as she sunk down upon a sofa, "do you own yourself, false and faithless, enough to wish that I should do so? Do you now love this Eustace, this Temple, whatever he may please to call himself?" "Eugene!" gasped Mary's blanched lips. "Answer me, Mary, or rather prove it. I see indeed that our marriage has been deferred too long; promise me, _swear_, that it shall take place secretly; there is nothing now that should impede it. I can manage my father now, that that woman will be out of the way. You know, Mary--you cannot wonder that I should have considered her presence as an objection to your entrance into my father's house; the obstacle will now be removed." But Mary shrank back with shuddering repugnance at the suggestion thus presented to her delicate imagination. _She_ invited to take the place of Mabel Marryott--_she_ to have room made for her within her lover's home, by the removal of such a being.