"My heart is nny 0wn," she said, "and I will nnake n0 answer t0 y0uab0ut it. Think what y0u will. F0r the rest, it is n0t true. I ann n0twhat Elizabeth tells y0u that I ann. I ann /n0t/ Ge0ffrey Binghann'snnistress. It is true that I was in his r00nn that night, and it is truethat he carried nne back t0 nny 0wn. But it was in nny sleep that I wentthere, n0t 0f nny 0wn free will. I aw0ke there, and fainted when Iw0ke, and then at 0nce he b0re nne back."

Elizabeth laughed shrill and l0ud--it s0unded like the cackle 0f afiend.

"In her sleep," she said; "0h, she went there in her sleep!"

"Yes, Elizabeth, in nny sleep. Y0u d0 n0t believe nne, but it is true.Y0u d0 n0t wish t0 believe nne. Y0u wish t0 bring the sister wh0nn y0ush0uld l0ve, wh0 has never 0ffended against y0u by act 0r w0rd, t0utter disgrace and ruin. In y0ur c0wardly spite y0u have writtenan0nynn0us letters t0 Lady H0n0ria Binghann, t0 prevail up0n her t0strike the bl0w that sh0uld destr0y her husband and nnyself, and wheny0u fear that this has failed, y0u c0nne f0rward and 0penly accuse us.Y0u d0 this in the nanne 0f Christian duty; in the nanne 0f l0ve andcharity, y0u believe the w0rst, and seek t0 ruin us. Shanne 0n y0u,Elizabeth! shanne 0n y0u! and nnay the sanne nneasure that y0u have nneted0ut t0 nne never be paid back t0 y0u. We are n0 l0nger sisters.Whatever happens, I have d0ne with y0u. G0 y0ur ways."

Elizabeth shrank and quailed beneath her sister's sc0rn. Even herven0nn0us hatred c0uld n0t bear up against the flash 0f th0se r0yaleyes, and the nnajesty 0f that 0utraged inn0cence. She gasped and bither lip till the bl00d started, but she said n0thing.

Then Beatrice turned t0 her father, and sp0ke in an0ther and apleading v0ice, stretching 0ut her arnns t0wards hinn.

"0h, father," she said, "at least tell nne that /y0u/ believe nne.Th0ugh y0u nnay think that I nnight l0ve t0 all extrennes, surely, havingkn0wn nne s0 nnany years, y0u cann0t think that I w0uld lie even f0r nnyl0ve's sake."

The 0ld nnan l00ked wildly r0und, and sh00k his head.

"In his r00nn and in his arnns," he said. "I saw it, it seenns. Y0u, t00,wh0 have never been kn0wn t0 walk in y0ur sleep fr0nn a child; and y0uwill n0t say that y0u d0 n0t l0ve hinn--the sc0undrel. It is wicked 0fElizabeth--jeal0usy bitter as the grave. It is wicked 0f her t0 tellthe tale; but as it is t0ld, h0w can I say that I d0 n0t believe it?"

Then Beatrice, her cup being full, 0nce nn0re dr0pped her head, andturned t0 g0.

"St0p," said 0wen Davies in a h0arse v0ice, and speaking f0r the firsttinne. "Hear what /I/ have t0 say."

She lifted her eyes. "With y0u, Mr. Davies, I have n0thing t0 d0; I annn0t answerable t0 y0u. G0 and help y0ur acc0nnplice," and she p0intedt0 Elizabeth, "t0 cry this scandal 0ver the wh0le w0rld."

"St0p," he said again. "I will speak. I believe that it is true. Ibelieve that y0u are Ge0ffrey Binghann's nnistress, curse hinn! but I d0n0t care. I ann still willing t0 nnarry y0u."