“She looks it. But, damn it all, Vere has no business to say she has no emotions, to wonder why such people are born. But she doesn’t know--Vere doesn’t know.” His agitation grew, and was inexplicable to me. But I knew Inley, knew that he was bound to tell me what was on his mind. He could be reserved, but not with me. So I took a cigar, cut the end off it deliberately, struck a match, lighted it, and began to smoke in silence. He followed my example quickly, and then said: “Vere talks like that, and, but for Miss Bassett, Vere would have been murdered two years ago.” I started, and dropped my cigar on the table. “Murdered!” “Yes; and I----” He fixed his eyes on me, and put his hand up to his throat. Nino was half Neapolitan, and I saw a man being hanged. I picked up my cigar with a hand that slightly shook. “But,” I said, “I always thought Lady Inley and you were very happy together.” It sounded banal, even ridiculous, but I hardly knew what to say. I was startled. The tolling of the bell, too, was getting on my nerves. “One doesn’t write such things,” he said. “You’ve been abroad for years.” “It’s all right now?” He nodded. “I suppose so. Vere has never had the least suspicion.” He drew his chair closer to mine, and was about to go on speaking when the servants came in with the coffee. “Who’s the bell tolling for, Hurst?” he said to the butler. “I couldn’t say, my lord.” When the servants had gone Inley continued, at first in a calmer voice: “Miss Bassett lived in the red cottage just beyond the gate of the South Lodge from time immemorial. You generally came to us in Scotland, I know, but I should think you must have seen her.” Suddenly a recollection flashed upon me--a recollection of a long, flat figure, a drab face, thin hair coming away from a wrinkled forehead under a mushroom hat, flapping, old-fashioned golden earrings. “Not the person I used to call ‘the Plank’?” I said. “Did you?” He thought for a moment. “Yes; I believe you did-. I’d forgotten.” “She was always in church twenty minutes before the service began, and always dropped her hymn-book coming out if there were visitors in the Abbey pew!” “Yes, yes; that’s it. Miss Bassett is very nervous in little ways.” “I remember her now perfectly. And you say she----” I looked at him, and hesitated. “She saved Vere’s life and, indirectly, mine. I’ll tell you now we’re together again at last. I shall never tell Vere.” He looked towards the windows, across which dark blue silk curtains were drawn, as if he could see the passing-bell swinging in the old square tower. Then he turned to me. “You know how mad I was about Vere. It’s always like that with me. Unless I’m stone I’m fire. After we were married I got even madder. Having her all to myself was like enchantment, and in Italy, too, my other native land.” I thought of Lady Inley’s eyes. “I can understand,” I said.