"From the moment I saw Lucio Rimânez"--went on Sibyl's 'dying speech'--"I abandoned myself to love and the desire of love. I had heard of him before from my father who had (as I learned to my shame) been indebted to him for monetary assistance. On the very night we met, my father told me quite plainly that now was my chance to get 'settled' in life. 'Marry Rimânez or Tempest, whichever you can most easily catch,' he said--'The prince is fabulously wealthy--but he keeps up a mystery about himself and no one knows where he actually comes from,--besides which he dislikes women;--now Tempest has five millions and seems an easy-going fool,--I should say you had better go for Tempest.' I made no answer and gave no promise either way. I soon found out however that Lucio did not intend to marry,--and I concluded that he preferred to be the lover of many women, instead of the husband of one. I did not love him any the less for this,--I only resolved that I would at least be one of those who were happy enough to share his passion. I married the man Tempest, feeling that like many women I knew, I should when safely wedded, have greater liberty of action,--I was aware that most modern men prefer an amour with a married woman to any other kind of _liaison_,--and I thought Lucio would have readily yielded to the plan I had pre-conceived. But I was mistaken,--and out of this mistake comes all my perplexity, pain and bewilderment I cannot understand why my love,--beloved beyond all word or thought,--should scorn me and repulse me with such bitter loathing! It is such a common thing now-a-days for a married woman to have her own lover, apart from her husband _de convenance_! The writers of books advise it,--I have seen the custom not only excused but advocated over and over again in long and scientific articles that are openly published in leading magazines. Why then should I be blamed or my desires considered criminal? As long as no public scandal is made, what harm is done? I cannot see it,--it is not as if there were a God to care,--the scientists say there is no God! * * * * * I was very startled just now. I thought I heard Lucio's voice calling me. I have walked through the rooms looking everywhere, and I opened my door to listen, but there is no one. I am alone. I have told the servant not to disturb me till I ring; ... I shall never ring! Now I come to think of it, it is singular that I have never known who Lucio really is. A prince, he says--and that I can well believe,--though truly princes now-a-days are so plebeian and common in look and bearing that he seems too great to belong to so shabby a fraternity. From what kingdom does he come?--to what nation does he belong? These are questions which he never answers save equivocally.