"You are astonished that I know so much," Paul continued. "I met them just as they were leaving the drawing-room together. Now, do you not see you were mistaken. Your jealous fancy causes you to misconstrue what you saw and heard. Claude is sincere and loyal; he is incapable of treachery of any kind, and you must confess now that you were entirely mistaken." Elaine was listening no longer. She thought she was dying. So this rival, implacable and cruel, was Odette! The conviction came to her with the irresistible force of truth. She was afraid her son would read it in her eyes, but could neither speak nor move. He continued in the same cheerful tone. "I can explain every thing, dear mother; you have been unreasonably jealous lately, and misconstrued every thing, so that you seemed to yourself to be right in your conclusions. Instead of confiding in Claude, you have shut your heart to him and sought proofs of infidelity where every thing was simple and loyal. I have noticed myself that Claude has painted very little lately, but Grenoble says this temporary paralysis comes upon him occasionally, and he only works the better after it. But I do not wish to leave you with a single suspicion; I hope to cure you completely; so tell me what you thought you heard him say just now in the drawing-room?" She gazed at her son with haggard eyes. She knew that Paul would not survive the truth one single hour, and, by a supreme effort, forced her lips to a smile, saying, "You are right; I was mistaken; you have cured me. Thanks! oh, my child! my child! my child!" She kissed him again and again. "I love you, dear Paul; my jealousy is at an end--if you could only see the happiness in my heart." The door opened and Odette came in, dressed for her walk, buttoning her gloves. "I am ready first, Paul," she said. "I will not keep you waiting five seconds," he replied, and whispered to his mother. "We will not tell any one our little secrets--good bye," and he hurried from the room, leaving the two women face to face, the elder knowing herself so infamously betrayed by the other! Elaine followed Paul with her eyes. As soon as he had disappeared she rose. The savage despair in her heart flamed from her eyes. She sprang towards Odette in a burst of jealous fury. "Wretch!" she hissed between her teeth. Odette started as if a bullet had reached her heart. As a flash of lightning lights up a landscape, so did every thing come clear before her eyes. She did not attempt any denial. "Yes, Claude is my lover," she said in a hollow voice. "You call me a wretch? I have called myself nothing else for a long time. What can you do? It will kill Paul if you tell him."