"You should not have kept it from him," I said severely. "But there, it's wonderful. How did you ever manage it? He is not an attractive man. And you--a butterfly. It is a miracle. There must be depths in you. Are marriages made in Heaven? I thought--he thinks--you married him for his money. And you love him! I shall never get over this. Lady Helen, you are a most amazing woman!" She rushed at me panting with rage and, seizing my arm, shook it with both hands. "If ever you tell him--I'll--I'll kill you!" she hissed. "But why?" "He must find out himself. He must suffer. He deserves it. He has bitterly insulted me. He has shamed my sex. He must gnaw out his heart. In no other way can he be made like other men. I'll teach him. I'll teach him. Oh, if you dare to interfere! But you shan't--you would not dare." "No," I said, "I would not dare." Next second she was in another mood. Her anger melted to pathos and the little siren began to plead to me. "You know what I really want you to do is to help me," she murmured, oh! so prettily. "And it is all for Dixon's sake, or really and truly I would not ask. You see, Doctor, I am working on a system. Goodness, how I am trusting you! And you can help, oh! ever so much." "Only tell me how." "Do not lose a chance to revile me." I was staggered. "I beg your pardon, Lady Helen!" I cried. "Ah! I thought you would understand. Don't you see you are his only friend? More than that, you are the only man he ever speaks to. He is a hermit. Well, then, who else is there to reproach me to his ears? To put his own thoughts of me into words?" "But what on earth do you want that done for?" "It will compel him to defend me, first by lip, then by heart." I confess I whistled. "I felt it to be necessary to have this talk with you," went on Lady Helen. "Hitherto he has done all the reviling and you the defending of me. Is it not so?" "You little witch." "And that is not right, since it is he, and not you, who is my husband." "Lady Helen, you are surely the cleverest woman in the world." "I have thought the matter out," she answered, with a sad little smile. "Is it wonderful that a woman should wish to be happy and that she should fight for that with every weapon she can find?" She rose and held out her hand. "You will go and make friends soon, will you not? He is fretting because you have deserted him." "In a very few days, Lady Helen. I wish I could this moment, but I cannot." "You are very busy, eh?" "I have a task to carry out. It will be finished at the end of the week." "So!" she said and shrugged her shoulders. "And are you quite engaged? Could you not come to me to-night? Your friend Captain Weldon comes, and some others. We are to have our fortunes told. Signor Navarro has promised us a séance. Miss Ottley has arranged it. She tells me he is a truly marvellous clairvoyant, medium, et-cetera. Have you a curiosity to know your future? Do come! Dixon will be there."