Mattie could have cried again with joy, but Harriet's excitement recalled her to self-command--Harriet, who stood there with her whole frame quivering with passion and outraged pride--a woman whom Mattie had not seen till then. "Mattie," she said, "that man, Maurice Darcy, thought that if I were weak enough to love him, I was weak enough to fly with him, forget my woman's pride, my father, home, honour, and fling all away for his sake. He did not know me, or understand me; my God! he did not think that there were any good thoughts in me, or he would not have acted as he did. I have been blind--I have been a fool until to-night!" She stamped her foot upon the floor until everything in the room vibrated; she caught Mattie's inquiring, earnest looks towards her and went on again-- "You and I, Mattie, must keep this ever a secret between us; for my sake, I am sure you will--for the sake of my good name, which that man's trickery has tarnished, however completely I have baffled him and shamed him. Mattie, he was at the Eveleighs' last night with his guilty plans matured. I had every confidence in him and his affection for me. I was off my guard, and believed that he was free from guile himself. At ten o'clock--beyond my time--I left the Eveleighs'; he was my escort to the railway station; he spoke of his love for me for the first time, and I was agitated and blinded by his seeming fervour. I told him of my promise to Sidney, and what I had done for his sake. I led him to think--fool that I was--that he had won my love long since. At the railway station he told me the story of his life--a lie from beginning to end--of his father's pride, of the secrecy with which our future marriage must be kept for awhile, away from that father--talking, protesting, explaining, until the train came up and he had placed me in the carriage." "Ah! I see!" exclaimed Mattie. "He followed me at the last moment, stating that he had business in London, and then the train moved on--FOR DOVER!" "Yes, he _was_ a villain and coward!" cried Mattie, setting her teeth and clenching her hands spasmodically; "go on!"