"Dr. Grey, I trust neither men nor women, nor even the angels in heaven; for one of them turned serpent, and if tradition be true, made earth the dismal 'Bochin' I have found it." She turned from him, and threw herself wearily upon the divan that filled the recess of the oriel window. Securing the door of the library, he extinguished the lamp, and closing the parlor went out to meet Salome. CHAPTER XX. "Doctor Grey, you look weary and anxious." "I feel so, for this has been a memorable night." "The servant who opened the gate for us said that the poor old woman died about day-break." "Yes; when I arrived I found her speechless, and of course could do nothing but watch her die. Come down this walk, I wish to talk to you before you go into the house." He pointed to a serpentine walk, overarched by laurustinus, and they had proceeded some yards before he spoke again. "Salome, I believe you told me that you had met Mrs. Gerome?" "Yes, sir; once upon the cliffs, a mile below, I saw her for a few moments." "She is a very eccentric woman." "I should judge so, from her appearance." "Her life seems to have been blighted by early griefs, and she has grown cynical and misanthropic. Loving no one but her faithful and devoted nurse, she has completely isolated herself, and consequently the death of this servant--companion--nay, foster-mother--is a terrible blow to her. I want your promise that what you may hear or witness in this house shall not travel beyond its walls to feed the worse-than-Ugolino hunger of never-satiated scandal and gossip." Salome's brow contracted and darkened. "Do you class me among newsmongers and character-cannibals?" "If I did, you certainly would not be here at this instant. I sent for you to come and take my place temporarily, as I am compelled to see a patient many miles distant, who is dangerously ill. The majority of women might go away, and comment upon the occurrences of this melancholy day, but I wish to keep sacred all that Mrs. Gerome desires to screen from public gaze and animadversion. Because she is not fond of society, it revenges itself by circulating reports detrimental to the owner of a house which is elegantly furnished, not for popular praise, but solely for her own comfort and gratification. While I regard her course as very deplorable, and particularly impolitic for one so young and unprotected, I am totally unacquainted with the reasons that control her; and, in this hour of grief and bitterness, I earnestly desire to shield her from intrusion and impertinent scrutiny."