"Do you also think of her--not at all of me?" He did not answer. "She is a gentlewoman," said the Countess slowly. "But do you think she hath behaved honourably?" "Why must I accuse her?" he asked, goaded. "Because I think you are not like the others--or thought so once. Can you not look at it straightly? He married me for my money, not even troubling to disguise his contempt of me, his liking for another. For a year he exchanges regretful sighs with this other, and the money goes, and the hate increases, and she writes to him. Well----" "The money!" said Marius quickly. "Is Rose in difficulties?" "What do you imagine?" answered the Countess. "You see how he lives? I do not know how long my father can or will endure. My lady is not sparing of her demands." "Do not speak like that," interrupted Marius hotly. "'Tis my family, madam." She laughed. "Have I no right to speak? I shall be a pauper also. Have I no right to say that I bought my title too dear?" He admitted that she had; that she had been miserably wronged. He despised his brother and Miss Boyle together, but he would not say so much to her. "Are you not a little sorry for me?" she asked, gazing at him intently. "I am sorry for all of us," he answered bitterly. The Countess rose, holding her opened fan against her chin. "You cannot guess what my life is," she said slowly; "nor quite how I hate him." Marius shuddered. "I think that you have brought a curse upon us all," he said, with a dreary laugh. "You could wish no greater vengeance than you have, madam, in seeing us worthy of your scorn." The bright silk skirts of the Countess rustled as she moved a little away. "You need not couple yourself with your brother, Marius. I do not hate you." "Why should you, madam?" he asked. She laughed to think he did not remember the very good cause she had to hate him, and caught the gaudy domino together across her breast. "What do you mean to do in this business?" she said. "Drift--drift, like all your noble house?" Then she was suddenly quiet, and Marius turned in the direction of her narrowed glance. In the tall doorway stood the Earl, wrapped in a pink domino, with a mask in his hand. "Is that you, Marius?" he asked, in a weary tone, and did not even glance at his wife, shrinking away from him. Marius strode up to his brother. "I have been searching for you. Susannah wishes to speak to you." My lord lifted his grey eyes and smiled insolently. "Where is she?" "I will show you where I left her," answered Marius briefly. They moved away in silence, two erect figures, much of a height, each with grey curls flowing under the knot of black velvet, and the graceful domino caught over the sword. Neither had given her a word or a look as they left. She crouched against the wall and stared after them. Hesitatingly came the first bars of the melody of a minuet. CHAPTER VII MY LORD SPEAKS