himself：
〃I am too weak to travel any further； Valeria。 Will you come to
me and forgive me？〃 A few pencil…marks followed； but they were
illegible。 The writing of those two short sentences had exhausted
him。
It is not saying much for myself； I knowbut； having confessed
it when I was wrong； let me； at least； record it when I did what
was rightI decided instantly on giving up all further
connection with the recovery of the torn letter。 If Eustace asked
me the question； I was resolved to be able to answer truly： 〃I
have made the sacrifice that assures your tranquillity。 When
resignation was hardest； I have humbled my obstinate spirit； and
I have given way for my husband's sake。〃
There was half an hour to spare before I left the vicarage for
the railway station。 In that interval I wrote again to Mr。
Playmore； telling him plainly what my position was； and
withdrawing； at once and forever； from all share in investigating
the mystery which lay hidden under the dust…heap at Gleninch。
CHAPTER XLIV。
OUR NEW HONEYMOON。
It is not to be disguised or denied that my spirits were
depressed on my journey to London。
To resign the one cherished purpose of my life； when I had
suffered so much in pursuing it； and when I had （to all
appearance） so nearly reached the realization of my hopes； was
putting to a hard trial a woman's fortitude and a woman's sense
of duty。 Still； even if the opportunity had been offered to me； I
would not have recalled my letter to Mr。 Playmore。 〃It is done；
and well done；〃 I said to myself； 〃and I have only to wait a day
to be reconciled to itwhen I give my husband my first kiss。〃
I had planned and hoped to reach London in time to start for
Paris by the night…mail。 But the train was twice delayed on the
long journey from the North； and there was no help for it but to
sleep at Benjamin's villa； and to defer my departure until the
morning。
It was； of course； impossible for me to warn my old friend of the
change in my plans。 My arrival took him by surprise。 I found him
alone in his library； with a wonderful illumination of lamps and
candles； absorbed over some morsels of torn paper scattered on
the table before him。
〃What in the world are you about？〃 I asked。
Benjamin blushedI was going to say； like a young girl； but
young girls have given up blushing in these latter days of the
age we live in。
〃Oh； nothing； nothing！〃 he said； confusedly。 〃Don't notice it。〃
He stretched out his hand to brush the morsels of paper off the
table。 Those morsels raised a sudden suspicion in my mind。 I
stopped him。
〃You have heard from Mr。 Playmore！〃 I said。 〃Tell me the truth；
Benjamin。 Yes or no？〃
Benjamin blushed a shade deeper； and answered； 〃Yes。〃
〃Where is the letter？〃
〃I mustn't show it to you； Valeria。〃
This （need I say it？） made me determined to see the letter。 My
best way of persuading Benjamin to show it to me was to tell him
of the sacrifice that I had made to my husband's wishes。 〃I have
no further voice in the matter；〃 I added； when I had done。 〃It
now rests entirely with Mr。 Playmore to go on or to give up； and
this is my last opportunity of discovering what he really thinks
about it。 Don't I deserve some little indulgence？ Have I no claim
to look at the letter？〃
Benjamin was too much surprised； and too much pleased with me；
when he heard what had happened； to be able to resist my
entreaties。 He gave me the letter。
Mr。 Playmore wrote to appeal confidentially to Benjamin as a
commercial man。 In the long course of his occupation in business；
it was just possible that he might have heard of cases in which
documents have been put together again after having been torn up
by design or by accident。 Even if his experience failed in this
particular； he might be able to refer to some authority in London
who would be capable of giving an opinion on the subject。 By way
of explaining his strange request； Mr。 Playmore reverted to the
notes which Benjamin had taken at Miserrimus Dexter's house； and
informed him of the serious importance of 〃the gibberish〃 which
he had reported under protest。 The letter closed by recommending
that any correspondence which ensued should be kept
a secret from meon the ground that it might excite false hopes
in my mind if I were informed of it。
I now understood the tone which my worthy adviser had adopted in
writing to me。 His interest in the recovery of the letter was
evidently so overpowering that common prudence compelled him to
conceal it from me； in case of ultimate failure。 This did not
look as if Mr。 Playmore was likely to give up the investigation
on my withdrawal from it。 I glanced again at the fragments of
paper on Benjamin's table； with an interest in them which I had
not felt yet。
〃Has anything been found at Gleninch？〃 I asked。
〃No；〃 said Benjamin。 〃I have only been trying experiments with a
letter of my own； before I wrote to Mr。 Playmore。〃
〃Oh； you have torn up the letter yourself； then？〃
〃Yes。 And； to make it all the more difficult to put them together
again； I shook up the pieces in a basket。 It's a childish thing
to do； my dear； at my age〃
He stopped； looking very much ashamed of himself。
〃Well；〃 I went on； 〃and have you succeeded in putting your letter
together again？〃
〃It's not very easy； Valeria。 But I have made a beginning。 It's
the same principle as the principle in the 'Puzzles' which we
used to put together when I was a boy。 Only get one central bit
of it right； and the rest of the Puzzle falls into its place in a
longer or a shorter time。 Please don't tell anybody； my dear。
People might say I was in my dotage。 To think of that gibberish
in my note…book having a meaning in it； after all！ I only got Mr。
Playmore's letter this morning； andI am really almost ashamed
to mention itI have been trying experiments on torn letters；
off and on； ever since。 You won't tell upon me； will you？〃
I answered the dear old man by a hearty embrace。 Now that he had
lost his steady moral balance； and had caught the infection of my
enthusiasm； I loved him better than ever。
But I was not quite happy； though I tried to appear so。 Struggle
against it as I might； I felt a little mortified when I
remembered that I had resigned all further connection with the
search for the letter at such a time as this。 My one comfort was
to think of Eustace。 My one encouragement was to keep my mind
fixed as constantly as possible on the bright change for the
better that now appeared in the domestic prospect。 Here； at
least； there was no disaster to fear； here I could honestly feel
that I had triumphed。 My husband had come back to me of his own
free will； he had not given way； under the hard weight of
evidencehe had yielded to the nobler influences of his
gratitude and his love。 And I had taken him to my heart
againnot because I had made discoveries which left him no other
alternative than to live with me； but because I believed in the
better mind that had come to him； and loved and trusted him
without reserve。 Was it not worth some sacrifice to have arrived
at this result！ Truemost true！ And yet I was a little out of
spirits。 Ah； well！ well！ the remedy was within a day's journey。
The sooner I was with Eustace the better。
Early the next morning I left London for Paris by the
tidal…train。 Benjamin accompanied me to the Terminus。
〃I shall write to Edinburgh by to…day's post；〃 he said； in the
interval before the train moved out of the station。 〃I think I
can find the man Mr。 Playmore wants to help him； if he decides to
go on。 Have you any message to send； Valeria？〃
〃No。 I have done with it； Benjamin； I have nothing more to say。〃
〃Shall I write and tell you how it ends； if Mr。 Playmore does
really try the experiment at Gleninch？〃
I answered； as I felt； a little bitterly。
〃Yes；〃 I said 〃Write and tell me if the experiment fail。〃
My old friend smiled。 He knew me better than I knew myself。
〃All right！〃 he said； resignedly。 〃I have got the address of your
banker's correspondent in Paris。 You will have to go there for
money； my dear； and you _may_ find a letter waiting for you in
the office when you least expect it。 Let me hear how your husband
goes on。 Good…byand God bless you！〃
That evening I was restored to Eustace。
He was too weak； poor fellow； even to raise his head from the
pillow。 I knelt down at the bedside and kissed him。 His languid；
weary eyes kindled with a new life as my lips touched his。 〃I
must try to live now；〃 he whispered； 〃for your sake。〃
My mother…in…law had delicately left us together。 When he said
those words the temptation to tell him of the new hope that had
come to brighten our lives was more than I could resist。
〃You must try to live now； Eustace；〃 I said； 〃for some one else
besides me。〃
His eyes looked wonderingly into mine。
〃Do you mean my mother？〃 he asked。
I laid my head on his bosom； and whispered back〃I mean your
child。〃
I had all my reward for all that I had given up。 I forgot Mr。
Playmore； I forgot Gleninch。 Our new honeymoon dates； in my
remembrance； from that day。
The quiet time passed； in the by…street in which we lived。 The
outer stir and tumult of Parisian life ran its daily course
around us； unnoticed and unheard。 Steadily； though slowly；
Eustace gained strength。 The doctors； with a word or two of
caution； left him almost entirely to me。 〃You are his physician；〃
they said； 〃the happier you make him； the sooner he will
recover。〃 The quiet； monotonous round of my new life was far from
wearying me。 I； too； wanted reposeI had no interests； no
pleasures； out of my husband's room。
Once； and once only； the placid surface of our lives was just
gently ruffled by an allusion to the past。 Something that I
accidentally said reminded Eustace of our last interview at Major
Fitz…David's house。 He referred； very delicately； to what I had
then said of the Verdict pronounced on him at the Trial； and he
left me to infer that a word from my lips； confirming what his
mother had already told him； would quiet his mind at once and
forever。
My answer involved no embarrassments or difficulties； I could and
did honestly tell him that I had made his wishes my law。 But