t！ You see I admit it； and you don't。 I never dreamed that I should live to say such things as this to you； but I never dreamed you would do what you have done！ It 's horrible； most horrible； that such a difference as this should come between two men who believed themselvesor whom I believed； at least the best friends in the world。 For it is a differenceit 's a great gulf； and nothing will ever fill it up。 I must say so； I can't help it。 You know I don't express myself easily； so； if I break out this way； you may know what I feel。 I know it is a pain to Miss Vivian； and I beg her to forgive me。 She has so much to forgive that she can forgive that； too。 I can't pretend to accept it； I can't sit down and let it pass。 And then； it is n't only my feelings； it 's the right； it 's the justice。 I must say to her that you have no right to marry her； and beg of her to listen to me and let you go。〃
〃My dear Gordon； are you crazy？〃 Bernard demanded； with an energy which； this time at least； was sufficiently real。
〃Very likely I am crazy。 I am crazy with disappointment and the bitterness of what I have lost。 Add to that the wretchedness of what I have found！〃
〃Ah； don't say that； Mr。 Wright；〃 Angela begged。
He stood for an instant looking at her； but not heeding her words。 〃Will you listen to me again？ Will you forget the wrong I did you？ my stupidity and folly and unworthiness？ Will you blot out the past and let me begin again。 I see you as clearly now as the light of that window。 Will you give me another chance？〃
Angela turned away her eyes and covered her face with her hands。 〃You do pain me！〃 she murmured。
〃You go too far；〃 said Bernard。 〃To what position does your extraordinary proposal relegate your wife？〃
Gordon turned his pleading eyes on his old friend without a ray of concession； but for a moment he hesitated。 〃Don't speak to me of my wife。 I have no wife。〃
〃Ah； poor girl！〃 said Angela； springing up from the sofa。
〃I am perfectly serious；〃 Gordon went on； addressing himself again to her。 〃No； after all； I am not crazy； I see only too clearlyI see what should be； when people see that； you call them crazy。 Bernard has no right he must give you up。 If you really care for him； you should help him。 He is in a very false position； you should n't wish to see him in such a position。 I can't explain to youif it were even for my own sake。 But Bernard must have told you； it is not possible that he has not told you？〃
〃I have told Angela everything； Gordon；〃 said Bernard。
〃I don't know what you mean by your having done me a wrong！〃 the girl exclaimed。
〃If he has told you； thenI may say it！ In listening to him； in believing him。〃
〃But you did n't believe me；〃 Bernard exclaimed； 〃since you immediately went and offered yourself to Miss Vivian！〃
〃I believed you all the same！ When did I ever not believe you？〃
〃The last words I ever heard from Mr。 Wright were words of the deepest kindness；〃 said Angela。
She spoke with such a serious； tender grace； that Gordon seemed stirred to his depths again。
〃Ah； give me another chance！〃 he moaned。
The poor girl could not help her tone； and it was in the same tone that she continued
〃If you think so well of me； try and be reasonable。〃
Gordon looked at her； slowly shaking his head。
〃Reasonablereasonable？ Yes； you have a right to say that； for you are full of reason。 But so am I。 What I ask is within reasonable limits。 〃
〃Granting your happiness were lost；〃 said Bernard〃I say that only for the argumentis that a ground for your wishing to deprive me of mine？〃
〃It is not yoursit is mine； that you have taken！ You put me off my guard； and then you took it！ Yours is elsewhere； and you are welcome to it！〃
〃Ah；〃 murmured Bernard； giving him a long look and turning away； 〃it is well for you that I am willing still to regard you as my best friend！〃
Gordon went on； more passionately； to Angela。
〃He put me off my guardI can't call it anything else。 I know I gave him a great chanceI encouraged him； urged him； tempted him。 But when once he had spoken； he should have stood to it。 He should n't have had two opinionsone for me； and one for himself！ He put me off my guard。 It was because I still resisted him that I went to you again； that last time。 But I was still afraid of you； and in my heart I believed him。 As I say； I always believed him； it was his great influence upon me。 He is the cleverest； the most intelligent； the most brilliant of men。 I don't think that a grain less than I ever thought it；〃 he continued； turning again to Bernard。 〃I think it only the more； and I don't wonder that you find a woman to believe it。 But what have you done but deceive me？ It was just my belief in your intelligence that reassured me。 When Miss Vivian refused me a second time； and I left Baden； it was at first with a sort of relief。 But there came back a better feelinga feeling faint compared to this feeling of to…day； but strong enough to make me uneasy and to fill me with regret。 To quench my regret； I kept thinking of what you had said； and it kept me quiet。 Your word had such weight with me！〃
〃How many times more would you have wished to be refused； and how many refusals would have been required to give me my liberty？〃 asked Bernard。
〃That question means nothing； because you never knew that I had again offered myself to Miss Vivian。〃
〃No； you told me very little； considering all that you made me tell you。〃
〃I told you beforehand that I should do exactly as I chose。〃
〃You should have allowed me the same liberty！〃
〃Liberty！〃 cried Gordon。 〃Had n't you liberty to range the whole world over？ Could n't he have found a thousand other women？〃
〃It is not for me to think so；〃 said Angela； smiling a little。
Gordon looked at her a moment。
〃Ah； you cared for him from the first！〃 he cried。
〃I had seen him before I ever saw you；〃 said the girl。
Bernard suppressed an exclamation。 There seemed to flash through these words a sort of retrospective confession which told him something that she had never directly told him。 She blushed as soon as she had spoken； and Bernard found a beauty in this of which the brightness blinded him to the awkward aspect of the fact she had just presented to Gordon。 At this fact Gordon stood staring； then at last he apprehended itlargely。
〃Ah； then； it had been a plot between you！〃 he cried out。
Bernard and Angela exchanged a glance of pity。
〃We had met for five minutes； and had exchanged a few words before I came to Baden。 It was in Italyat Siena。 It was a simple accident that I never told you；〃 Bernard explained。
〃I wished that nothing should be said about it；〃 said Angela。
〃Ah； you loved him！〃 Gordon exclaimed。
Angela turned awayshe went to the window。 Bernard followed her for three seconds with his eyes； then he went on
〃If it were so； I had no reason to suppose it。 You have accused me of deceiving you； but I deceived only myself。 You say I put you off your guard； but you should rather say you put me on mine。 It was； thanks to that； that I fell into the most senseless； the most brutal of delusions。 The delusion passed away it had contained the germ of better things。 I saw my error； and I bitterly repented of it； and on the day you were married I felt free。〃
〃Ah； yes； I have no doubt you waited for that！〃 cried Gordon。 〃It may interest you to know that my marriage is a miserable failure。〃
〃I am sorry to hear itbut I can't help it。〃
〃You have seen it with your own eyes。 You know all about it； and I need n't tell you。〃
〃My dear Mr。 Wright；〃 said Angela； pleadingly； turning round； 〃in Heaven's name； don't say that！〃
〃Why should n't I say it？ I came here on purpose to say it。 I came here with an intentionwith a plan。 You know what Blanche is you need n't pretend； for kindness to me； that you don't。 You know what a precious； what an inestimable wife she must make me how devoted； how sympathetic she must be； and what a household blessing at every hour of the day。 Bernard can tell you all about ushe has seen us in the sanctity of our home。〃 Gordon gave a bitter laugh and went on； with the same strange； serious air of explaining his plan。 〃She despises me； she hates me； she cares no more for me than for the button on her glove by which I mean that she does n't care a hundredth part as much。 You may say that it serves me right； and that I have got what I deserve。 I married her because she was silly。 I wanted a silly wife； I had an idea you were too wise。 Oh； yes； that 's what I thought of you！ Blanche knew why I picked her out； and undertook to supply the article required。 Heaven forgive her！ She has certainly kept her engagement。 But you can imagine how it must have made her like me knowing why I picked her out！ She has disappointed me all the same。 I thought she had a heart； but that was a mistake。 It does n't matter； though； because everything is over between us。〃
〃What do you mean； everything is over？〃 Bernard demanded。
〃Everything will be over in a few weeks。 Then I can speak to Miss Vivian seriously。〃
〃Ah！ I am glad to hear this is not serious；〃 said Bernard。
〃Miss Vivian； wait a few weeks；〃 Gordon went on。 〃Give me another chance then。 Then it will be perfectly right； I shall be free。〃
〃You speak as if you were going to put an end to your wife！〃
〃She is rapidly putting an end to herself。 She means to leave me。〃
〃Poor； unhappy man； do you know what you are saying？〃 Angela murmured。
〃Perfectly。 I came here to say it。 She means to leave me； and I mean to offer her every facility。 She is dying to take a lover； and she has got an excellent one waiting for her。 Bernard knows whom I mean； I don't know whether you do。 She was ready to take one three months after our marriage。 It is really very good of her to have waited all this time； but I don't think she can go more than a week or two longer。 She is recommended a southern climate； and I am pretty sure that in the course of another ten days I may count upon their starting together for the shores of the Mediterranean。 The shores of the Mediterranean； you know； are lovely； and I hope they will do her a world of good。 As soon as they have left Paris I will let you know；