"Then you were told something by third parties,--something that seemed to destroy in an instant all the careful work of my three days here. You believed that there was only one interpretation of this thing, and that was that my purpose all along had been so hazy and my nature so capricious and irresponsible that I had suddenly resolved to reverse the whole of the elaborate machinery which I had set in motion to re-establish your health and spirits;--and what for?--in order, if you please, to win the flattering smile of a mere child! Do you imagine that even my love for your wonderful mother would ever have allowed me to right-about-wheel all of a sudden in that ridiculous fashion? Come, Cleopatra, be reasonable." She averted her gaze, and her eyes began to well with tears. "No, you have known the thing to happen before, and therefore you were the more readily convinced that it had happened again. You had no faith because your faith had been cruelly broken. But, believe me, although I did this action this morning chiefly on your account and Leonetta's, and partly also on account of a great friend of mine whom you do not yet know, I swear I should never have undertaken it if I had dreamt for an instant that it was going to cost you as much as a single tear." The girl put her handkerchief to her eyes. "I'm afraid I don't understand," she said. "It all seems so mysterious. I only know that, one after another, you all seem to go the same way." Lord Henry sighed. "Come," he said, offering her his arm again; "let me make myself clear to you." But she was too convulsed with sobs to move. The situation was certainly difficult. He waited, and looked for a while away from her. "Besides," she cried at last, "you don't really know what I wanted to do, otherwise--otherwise--Oh! it's too dreadful!" He swung round. "I know everything," he rejoined. "You can't really want to keep me beside you then." He smiled sadly. "And why not, in all conscience!" She wiped her eyes quickly and frowned darkly at him. "Lord Henry, are you fooling me?" she ejaculated. "Don't you know that a moment ago I was intent only on one thing, and that was----" She choked and could go no further. He walked up to her and laid a hand on her arm. "I tell you I know everything," he repeated. "You pretend that you know," she sneered. He smiled and bowed his head. "If you mean," he suggested, "that two hours ago you were firing from that ambush with the definite intention of doing Leonetta some mortal injury, I need hardly say----" "Yes," she said fiercely, "I do mean that." "Of course I knew that," he observed. "Don't imagine I had any doubt about that. When I first came up to you I was convinced of it. What else could you have been doing?" She scrutinised him intently. "Well, then?" she stammered. "If only you will be good enough to walk back to the inn with me," he said, again offering her his arm, "I'll explain everything to you."