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to his friends； and is religiously kept by his friends。 It is the
secret that he is keeping from You。 He will never tell it to you
as long as he lives。 And he has bound _me_ not to tell it； under
a promise given on my word of honor。 You wished； dear Mrs。
Woodville； to be made acquainted with my position toward Eustace。
There it is！〃
〃You persist in calling me Mrs。 Woodville；〃 I said。
〃Your husband wishes me to persist；〃 the Major answered。 〃He
assumed the name of Woodville； fearing to give his own name； when
he first called at your uncle's house。 He will now acknowledge no
other。 Remonstrance is useless。 You must do what we doyou must
give way to an unreasonable man。 The best fellow in the world in
other respects： in this one matter as obstinate and self…willed
as he can be。 If you ask me my opinion； I tell you honestly that
I think he was wrong in courting and marrying you under his false
name。 He trusted his honor and his happiness to your keeping in
making you hiswife。 Why should he not trust the story of his
troubles to you as well？ His mother quite shares my opinion in
this matter。 You must not blame her for refusing to admit you
into her confidence after your marriage： it was then too late。
Before your marriage she did all she could dowithout betraying
secrets which； as a good mother； she was bound to respectto
induce her son to act justly toward you。 I commit no indiscretion
when I tell you that she refused to sanction your marriage mainly
for the reason that Eustace refused to follow her advice； and to
tell you what his position really was。 On my part I did all I
could to support Mrs。 Macallan in the course that she took。 When
Eustace wrote to tell me that he had engaged himself to marry a
niece of my good friend Doctor Starkweather； and that he had
mentioned me as his reference； I wrote back to warn him that I
would have nothing to do with the affair unless he revealed the
whole truth about himself to his future wife。 He refused to
listen to me； as he had refused to listen to his mother； and he
held me at the same time to my promise to keep his secret。 When
Starkweather wrote to me； I had no choice but to involve myself
in a deception of which I thoroughly disapproved； or to answer in
a tone so guarded and so brief as to stop the correspondence at
the outset。 I chose the last alternative； and I fear I have
offended my good old friend。 You now see the painful position in
which I am placed。 To add to the difficulties of that situation；
Eustace came here this very day to warn me to be on my guard； in
case of your addressing to me the very request which you have
just made！ He told me that you had met with his mother； by an
unlucky accident； and that you had discovered the family name。 He
declared that he had traveled to London for the express purpose
of speaking to me personally on this serious subject。 'I know
your weakness；' he said； 'where women are concerned。 Valeria is
aware that you are my old friend。 She will certainly write to
you； she may even be bold enough to make her way into your house。
Renew your promise to keep the great calamity of my life a
secret； on your honor and on your oath。 'Those were his words； as
nearly as I can remember them。 I tried to treat the thing
lightly； I ridiculed the absurdly theatrical notion of 'renewing
my promise；' and all the rest of it。 Quite useless！ He refused to
leave me； he reminded me of his unmerited sufferings； poor
fellow； in the past time。 It ended in his bursting into tears。
You love him； and so do I。 Can you wonder that I let him have his
way？ The result is that I am doubly bound to tell you nothing； by
the most sacred promise that a man can give。 My dear lady； I
cordially side with you in this matter； I long to relieve your
anxieties。 But what can I do？〃
He stopped； and waitedgravely waitedto hear my reply。
I had listened from beginning to end without interrupting him。
The extraordinary change in his manner； and in his way of
expressing himself； while he was speaking of Eustace； alarmed me
as nothing had alarmed me yet。 How terrible （I thought to myself）
must this untold story be； if the mere act of referring to it
makes light…hearted Major Fitz…David speak seriously and sadly；
never smiling； never paying me a compliment； never even noticing
the singing upstairs！ My heart sank in me as I drew that
startling conclusion。 For the first time since I had entered the
house I was at the end of my resources； I knew neither what to
say nor what to do next。
And yet I kept my seat。 Never had the resolution to discover what
my husband was hiding from me been more firmly rooted in my mind
than it was at that moment！ I cannot account for the
extraordinary inconsistency in my character which this confession
implies。 I can only describe the facts as they really were。
The singing went on upstairs。 Major Fitz…David still waited
impenetrably to hear what I had to sayto know what I resolved
on doing next。
Before I had decided what to say or what to do； another domestic
incident happened。 In plain words； another knocking announced a
new visitor at the house door。 On this occasion there was no
rustling of a woman's dress in the hall。 On this occasion only
the old servant entered the room； carrying a magnificent nosegay
in his hand。 〃With Lady Clarinda's kind regards。 To remind Major
Fitz…David of his appointment。〃 Another lady！ This time a lady
with a title。 A great lady who sent her flowers and her messages
without condescending to concealment。 The Majorfirst
apologizing to mewrote a few lines of acknowledgment； and sent
them out to the messenger。 When the door was closed again he
carefully selected one of the choicest flowers in the nosegay。
〃May I ask；〃 he said； presenting the flower to me with his best
grace； 〃whether you now understand the delicate position in which
I am placed between your husband and yourself？〃
The little interruption caused by the appearance of the nosegay
had given a new impulse to my thoughts； and had thus helped； in
some degree； to r estore me to myself。 I was able at last to
satisfy Major Fitz…David that his considerate and courteous
explanation had not been thrown away upon me。
〃I thank you； most sincerely； Major；〃 I said 〃You have convinced
me that I must not ask you to forget； on my account； the promise
which you have given to my husband。 It is a sacred promise； which
I too am bound to respectI quite understand that。〃
The Major drew a long breath of relief； and patted me on the
shoulder in high approval of what I had said to him。
〃Admirably expressed！〃 he rejoined； recovering his light…hearted
looks and his lover…like ways all in a moment。 〃My dear lady； you
have the gift of sympathy； you see exactly how I am situated。 Do
you know； you remind me of my charming Lady Clarinda。 _She_ has
the gift of sympathy； and sees exactly how I am situated。 I
should so enjoy introducing you to each other；〃 said the Major；
plunging his long nose ecstatically into Lady Clarinda's flowers。
I had my end still to gain； and； being （as you will have
discovered by this time） the most obstinate of living women； I
still kept that end in view。
〃I shall be delighted to meet Lady Clarinda；〃 I replied。 〃In the
meantime〃
〃I will get up a little dinner；〃 proceeded the Major； with a
burst of enthusiasm。 〃You and I and Lady Clarinda。 Our young
prima donna shall come in the evening； and sing to us。 Suppose we
draw out the _menu？_ My sweet friend； what is your favorite
autumn soup？〃
〃In the meantime；〃 I persisted； 〃to return to what we were
speaking of just now〃
The Major's smile vanished； the Major's hand dropped the pen
destined to immortalize the name of my favorite autumn soup。
〃_Must_ we return to that？〃 he asked； piteously。
〃Only for a moment；〃 I said。
〃You remind me；〃 pursued Major Fitz…David； shaking his head
sadly； 〃of another charming friend of minea French
friendMadame Mirliflore。 You are a person of prodigious
tenacity of purpose。 Madame Mirliflore is a person of prodigious
tenacity of purpose。 She happens to be in London。 Shall we have
her at our little dinner？〃 The Major brightened at the idea； and
took up the pen again。 〃Do tell me；〃 he said； 〃what _is_ your
favorite autumn soup？〃
〃Pardon me；〃 I began； 〃we were speaking just now〃
〃Oh； dear me！〃 cried Major Fitz…David。 〃Is this the other
subject？〃
〃Yesthis is the other subject。〃
The Major put down his pen for the second time； and regretfully
dismissed from his mind Madame Mirliflore and the autumn soup。
〃Yes？〃 he said； with a patient bow and a submissive smile。 〃You
were going to say〃
〃I was going to say；〃 I rejoined； 〃that your promise only pledges
you not to tell the secret which my husband is keeping from me。
You have given no promise not to answer me if I venture to ask
you one or two questions。〃
Major Fitz…David held up his hand warningly； and cast a sly look
at me out of his bright little gray eyes。
〃Stop！〃 he said。 〃My sweet friend； stop there！ I know where your
questions will lead me； and what the result will be if I once
begin to answer them。 When your husband was here to…day he took
occasion to remind me that I was as weak as