“Now listen to me.  You know my relations with Mount.  That beast Brayder offered to pay all my debts and set me afloat, if I would keep you in town.  I declare on my honour I had no idea why, and I did not agree to it.  But you were such a handsome fellow—­I noticed you in the park before I heard a word of you.  But then you fought shy—­you were just as tempting as a girl.  You stung me.  Do you know what that is?  I would make you care for me, and we know how it ended, without any intention of mine, I swear.  I’d have cut off my hand rather than do you any harm, upon my honour.  Circumstances!  Then I saw it was all up between us.  Brayder came and began to chaff about you.  I dealt the animal a stroke on the face with my riding-whip—­I shut him up pretty quick.  Do you think I would let a man speak about you?—­I was going to swear.  You see I remember Dick’s lessons.  O my God!  I do feel unhappy.—­Brayder offered me money.  Go and think I took it, if you like.  What do I care what anybody thinks!  Something that black-guard said made me suspicious.  I went down to the Isle of Wight where Mount was, and your wife was just gone with an old lady who came and took her away.  I should so have liked to see her.  You said, you remember, she would take me as a sister, and treat me—­I laughed at it then.  My God! how I could cry now, if water did any good to a devil, as you politely call poor me.  I called at your house and saw your man-servant, who said Mount had just been there.  In a minute it struck me.  I was sure Mount was after a woman, but it never struck me that woman was your wife.  Then I saw why they wanted me to keep you away.  I went to Brayder.  You know how I hate him.  I made love to the man to get it out of him.  Richard! my word of honour, they have planned to carry her off, if Mount finds he cannot seduce her.  Talk of devils!  He’s one; but he is not so bad as Brayder.  I cannot forgive a mean dog his villany.

“Now after this, I am quite sure you are too much of a man to stop away from her another moment.  I have no more to say.  I suppose we shall not see each other again, so good-bye, Dick!  I fancy I hear you cursing me.  Why can’t you feel like other men on the subject?  But if you were like the rest of them I should not have cared for you a farthing.  I have not worn lilac since I saw you last.  I’ll be buried in your colour, Dick.  That will not offend you—­will it?

“You are not going to believe I took the money?  If I thought you thought that—­it makes me feel like a devil only to fancy you think it.

“The first time you meet Brayder, cane him publicly.

“Adieu!  Say it’s because you don’t like his face.  I suppose devils must not say Adieu.  Here’s plain old good-bye, then, between you and me.  Good-bye, dear Dick!  You won’t think that of me?

“May I eat dry bread to the day of my death if I took or ever will touch a scrap of their money.  Bella.”