about you。 What he heard from your old friend I cannot say。 I
only know that Mr。 Benjamin accompanied him when he came here。〃
This brief explanation was quite enough for meI understood what
had happened。 Eustace would easily frighten simple old Benjamin
about my absence from the hotel； and； once alarmed； Benjamin
would be persuaded without difficulty to repeat the few words
which had passed between us on the subject of Major Fitz…David。
My husband's presence in the Major's house was perfectly
explained。 But his extraordinary conduct in leaving the room at
the very time when I was just recovering my senses still remained
to be accounted for。 Major Fitz…David looked seriously
embarrassed when I put the question to him。
〃I hardly know how to explain it to you；〃 he said。 〃Eustace has
surprised and disappointed me。〃
He spoke very gravely。 His looks told me more than his words： his
looks alarmed me。
〃Eustace has not quarreled with you？〃 I said。
〃Oh no！〃
〃He understands that you have not broken your promise to him？〃
〃Certainly。 My youn g vocalist （Miss Hoighty） told the doctor
exactly what had happened； and the doctor in her presence
repeated the statement to your husband。〃
〃Did the doctor see the Trial？〃
〃Neither the doctor nor Mr。 Benjamin has seen the Trial。 I have
locked it up； and I have carefully kept the terrible story of
your connection with the prisoner a secret from all of them。 Mr。
Benjamin evidently has his suspicions。 But the doctor has no
idea； and Miss Hoighty has no idea； of the true cause of your
fainting fit。 They both believe that you are subject to serious
nervous attacks； and that your husband's name is really
Woodville。 All that the truest friend could do to spare Eustace I
have done。 He persists； nevertheless； in blaming me for letting
you enter my house。 And worse； far worse than this； he persists
in declaring the event of to…day has fatally estranged you from
him。 'There is an end of our married life；' he said to me； 'now
she knows that I am the man who was tried at Edinburgh for
poisoning my wife！〃'
I rose from the sofa in horror。
〃Good God！〃 I cried； 〃does Eustace suppose that I doubt his
innocence？〃
〃He denies that it is possible for you or for anybody to believe
in his innocence；〃 the Major replied。
〃Help me to the door；〃 I said。 〃Where is he？ I must and will see
him！〃
I dropped back exhausted on the sofa as I said the words。 Major
Fitz…David poured out a glass of wine from the bottle on the
table； and insisted on my drinking it。
〃You shall see him；〃 said the Major。 〃I promise you that。 The
doctor has forbidden him to leave the house until you have seen
him。 Only wait a little！ My poor； dear lady； wait； if it is only
for a few minutes； until you are stronger。〃
I had no choice but to obey him。 Oh； those miserable； helpless
minutes on the sofa！ I cannot write of them without shuddering at
the recollectioneven at this distance of time。
〃Bring him here！〃 I said。 〃Pray； pray bring him here！〃
〃Who is to persuade him to come back？〃 asked the Major； sadly。
〃How can I； how can anybody； prevail with a mana madman I had
almost said！who could leave you at the moment when you first
opened your eyes on him？ I saw Eustace alone in the next room
while the doctor was in attendance on you。 I tried to shake his
obstinate distrust of your belief in his innocence and of my
belief in his innocence by every argument and every appeal that
an old friend could address to him。 He had but one answer to give
me。 Reason as I might； and plead as I might； he still persisted
in referring me to the Scotch Verdict。〃
〃The Scotch Verdict？〃 I repeated。 〃What is that？〃
The Major looked surprised at the question。
〃Have you really never heard of the Trial？〃 he said。
〃Never。〃
〃I thought it strange；〃 he went on； 〃when you told me you had
found out your husband's true name； that the discovery appeared
to have suggested no painful association to your mind。 It is not
more than three years since all England was talking of your
husband。 One can hardly wonder at his taking refuge； poor fellow；
in an assumed name。 Where could you have been at the time？〃
〃Did you say it was three years ago？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃I think I can explain my strange ignorance of what was so well
known to every one else。 Three years since my father was alive。 I
was living with him in a country…house in Italyup in the
mountains； near Sienna。 We never saw an English newspaper or met
with an English traveler for weeks and weeks together。 It is just
possible that there might have been some reference made to the
Trial in my father's letters from England。 If there were； he
never told me of it。 Or； if he did mention the case； I felt no
interest in it； and forgot it again directly。 Tell mewhat has
the Verdict to do with my husband's horrible doubt of us？ Eustace
is a free man。 The Verdict was Not Guilty； of course？〃
Major Fitz…David shook his head sadly。
〃Eustace was tried in Scotland；〃 he said。 〃There is a verdict
allowed by the Scotch law； which （so far as I know） is not
permitted by the laws of any other civilized country on the face
of the earth。 When the jury are in doubt whether to condemn or
acquit the prisoner brought before them； they are permitted； in
Scotland； to express that doubt by a form of compromise。 If there
is not evidence enough； on the one hand； to justify them in
finding a prisoner guilty； and not evidence enough； on the other
hand； to thoroughly convince them that a prisoner is innocent；
they extricate themselves from the difficulty by finding a
verdict of Not Proven。〃
〃Was that the Verdict when Eustace was tried？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃The jury were not quite satisfied that my husband was guilty？
and not quite satisfied that my husband was innocent？ Is that
what the Scotch Verdict means？〃
〃That is what the Scotch Verdict means。 For three years that
doubt about him in the minds of the jury who tried him has stood
on public record。〃
Oh； my poor darling！ my innocent martyr！ I understood it at last。
The false name in which he had married me； the terrible words he
had spoken when he had warned me to respect his secret； the still
more terrible doubt that he felt of me at that momentit was all
intelligible to my sympathies； it was all clear to my
understanding； now。 I got up again from the sofa； strong in a
daring resolution which the Scotch Verdict had suddenly kindled
in mea resolution at once too sacred and too desperate to be
confided； in the first instance； to any other than my husband's
ear。
〃Take me to Eustace！〃 I cried。 〃I am strong enough to bear
anything now。〃
After one searching look at me； the Major silently offered me his
arm； and led me out of the room。
CHAPTER XII。
THE SCOTCH VERDICT。
We walked to the far end of the hall。 Major Fitz…David opened
the door of a long； narrow room built out at the back of the
house as a smoking…room； and extending along one side of the
courtyard as far as the stable wall。
My husband was alone in the room； seated at the further end of
it； near the fire…place。 He started to his feet and faced me in
silence as I entered。 The Major softly closed the door on us and
retired。 Eustace never stirred a step to meet me。 I ran to him；
and threw my arms round his neck and kissed him。 The embrace was
not returned； the kiss was not returned。 He passively
submittednothing more。
〃Eustace！〃 I said； 〃I never loved you more dearly than I love you
at this moment！ I never felt for you as I feel for you now！〃
He released himself deliberately from my arms。 He signed to me
with the mechanical courtesy of a stranger to take a chair。
〃Thank you； Valeria；〃 he answered； in cold； measured tones。 〃You
could say no less to me； after what has happened； and you could
say no more。 Thank you。〃
We were standing before the fire…place。 He left me； and walked
away slowly with his head down； apparently intending to leave the
room。
I followed himI got before himI placed myself between him and
the door。
〃Why do you leave me？〃 I said。 〃Why do you speak to me in this
cruel way？ Are you angry； Eustace？ My darling； if you _are_
angry； I ask you to forgive me。〃
〃It is I who ought to ask _your_ pardon；〃 he replied。 〃I beg you
to forgive me； Valeria； for having made you my wife。〃
He pronounced those words with a hopeless； heart…broken humility
dreadful to see。 I laid my hand on his bosom。 I said； 〃Eustace；
look at me。〃
He slowly lifted his eyes to my faceeyes cold and clear and
tearlesslooking at me in steady resignation； in immovable
despair。 In the utter wretchedness of that moment； I was like
him； I was as quiet and as cold as my husband。 He chilled； he
froze me。
〃Is it possible；〃 I said； 〃that you doubt my belief in your
innocence？〃
He left the question unanswered。 He sighed bitterly to himself。
〃Poor woman！〃 he said； as a stranger might have said； pitying me。
〃Poor woman！〃
My heart swelled in me as if it would burst。 I lifted my hand
from his bosom； and laid it on his shoulder to support myself。
〃I don't ask you to pity me； Eustace； I ask you to do me justice。
You are not doing me justice。 If you had trusted me with the
truth in the days when we first knew that we loved each otherif
you had told me all； and more than all that I know nowa s God
is my witness I would still have married you！ _Now_ do you doubt
that I believe you are an innocent man！〃
〃I don't doubt it；〃 he said。 〃All your impulses are generous；
Valeria。 You are speaking generously and feeling generously。
Don't blame me； my poor child； if I look on further than you do：
if I see what is to cometoo surely to comein the cruel
future。〃
〃The cruel future！〃 I repeated。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃You believe in my innocence； Valeria。 The jury who tried me
doubted itand have left that doubt on record。 What reason have
_you_ for believing； in the face of the Verdict； that I am an
innocent man？〃
〃I want no reason！ I believe in spite of the juryin spite of
the Verdict。〃
〃Will your friends agree with you？ When your uncle and aunt know
what has happenedand sooner or later they must know itwhat
will they say？ They will say； 'He began badly； he concea