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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 it
was hardly in womanhood； I am afraid； to be satisfied with merely
replying； and to leave it there。 I thought it due to me that
Eustace too should concede something； in the way of an assurance
which might quiet _my_ mind。 As usual with me； the words followed
the impulse to speak them。 〃Eustace；〃 I asked； 〃are you quite
cured of those cruel doubts which once made you leave me？〃
His answer （as he afterward said） made me blush with pleasure。
〃Ah； Valeria； I should never have gone away if I had known you
then as well as I know you now！〃
So the last shadows of distrust melted away out of our lives。
The very remembrance of the turmoil and the trouble of my past
days in London seemed now to fade from my memory。 We were lovers
again； we were absorbed again in each other； we could almost
fancy that our marriage dated back once more to a day or two
since。 But one last victory over myself was wanting to make my
happiness complete。 I still felt secret longings； in those
dangerous moments when I was left by myself； to know whether the
search for the torn letter had or had not taken place。 What
wayward creatures we are！ With everything that a woman could want
to make her happy； I was ready to put that happiness in peril
rather than remain ignorant of what was going on at Gleninch！ I
actually hailed the day when my empty purse gave me an excuse for
going to my banker's correspondent on business； and so receiving
any letters waiting for me which might be placed in my hands。
I applied for my money without knowing what I was about；
wondering all the time whether Benjamin had written to me or not。
My eyes wandered over the desks and tables in the office； looking
for letters furtively。 Nothing of the sort was visible。 But a man
appeared from an inner office： an ugly man； who was yet beautiful
to my eyes； for this sufficient reasonhe had a letter in his
hand； and he said； 〃Is this for you； ma'am？〃
A glance at the address showed me Benjamin's handwriting。
Had they tried the experiment of recovering the letter？ and had
they failed？
Somebody put my money in my bag； and politely led me out to the
little hired carriage which was waiting for me at the door。 I
remember nothing distinctly until I open ed the letter on my way
home。 The first words told me that the dust…heap had been
examined； and that the fragments of the torn letter had been
found。
CHAPTER XLV。
THE DUST…HEAP DISTURBED。
My head turned giddy。 I was obliged to wait and let my
overpowering agitation subside； before I could read any more。
Looking at the letter again； after an interval； my eyes fell
accidentally on a sentence near the end； which surprised and
startled me。
I stopped the driver of the carriage； at the entrance to the
street in which our lodgings were situated； and told him to take
me to the beautiful park of Paristhe famous Bois de Boulogne。
My object was to gain time enough； in this way； to read the
letter carefully through by myself； and to ascertain whether I