"That is the least bearable thought," answered Miss Boyle, "that they should meet on my account--and over this." Miss Chressham crossed to her chair. "Do you then hope to conceal it?" "If I could!" "It is impossible," said Susannah firmly. "That was not put there to be overlooked; it will be repeated." "If I could buy up the paper!" cried Selina frantically. "Who could be so wantonly cruel?" "Do you not guess? Rose's wife." "The Countess!" "Who else? Only someone in his house could have this knowledge of his correspondence, and she is that manner of woman." The outraged blood stormed Miss Boyle's cheeks. "You mean--oh, Susannah, you cannot mean that she reads his letters!" "I have no doubt at all," said Miss Chressham. "She and her maid spy on him, and on us, perpetually." "You think she has read that letter of mine!" cried Selina faintly. "But it is not possible; he would never have left it about. What must she think of me? Oh, that I should come to tremble at what may be thought!" "I see no cause to tremble," answered Susannah with resolution. "It is her shame, not yours. Who is she but an ill-bred spiteful woman?" "Yet his wife," murmured Miss Boyle; "and I had no right--oh!"--with an accent of deep distress, "should I go to her, implore her not to think ill of me?" Miss Chressham's eyes flashed. "What are you thinking of, my dear? She would insult you." "Indeed, I could not do it--discuss this--him--with his wife! This is terrible, and my fault!" "It is Rose's fault," cried Susannah, with a heaving breast. "He had no right to do as he did. You and he considered it his duty; I never did. My lady was not penniless, and Marius could have taken his life in his own hands. Rose obeyed his own imprudence--his own recklessness--in marrying this woman; because of my lady's tears and the reproaches of Marius he sells himself on the instant to a tradesman's daughter, and brings into the family a creature that will surely ruin it!" "Yet it was nobly done," murmured Selina. "But wilful nobleness, and in any case a mistake," answered Miss Chressham; "a mistake we are all paying for in misery and bitterness. How dare he set this woman up as mistress of his house where she is in a position to work harm among all for whom he ever cared?" "Maybe you are right, Susannah," she said faintly and wistfully, "but--ah, well, I know what they say of him, nor can I justify my heart to my reason. Yet, if it were certain sin, as it is certain pain, I could not forbear from caring." "I am a fine one to preach," said Miss Chressham in a desperate way. "Do I not know that he is lovable?" She left her chair and hung over Selina. "Do not shed tears about it. We will find some way, indeed we will." Miss Boyle turned and clung to her. Susannah gathered the delicate fragrant loveliness into her arms and to her breast. She could feel the agitated heart beating close to hers and the wet cheek pressed on her shoulder.