"It was the first time that anything of that kind had happened?"

"The first time. And you know what the state of my mind was then.
But to the end I never felt any--I never really loved him. We met
and went to places together. After my loneliness--you can
understand. But I distrusted him. Did Patty tell you why I left
London so suddenly?"

"Yes."

"When that happened I knew my instinct had been right from the
first. It gave me very little pain, but I was ashamed and disgusted.
He hadn't tried to deceive me in words; he never spoke of marriage;
and from what I found out then, I saw that he was very much to be
pitied."

"You seem to contradict yourself," said Hilliard. "Why were you
ashamed and disgusted?"

"At finding myself in the power of such a woman. He married her when
she was very young, and I could imagine the life he had led with her
until he freed himself. A hateful woman!"

"Hateful to you, I see," muttered the listener, with something tight
at his heart.

"Not because I felt anything like jealousy. You must believe me. I
should never have spoken if I hadn't meant to tell you the simple
truth."