I shall marry Juliet in spite of this revenge she seems to be
practising on you. Though why she should hope to vex you by
meddling with my marriage, I cannot understand."

"I can put the matter in a nutshell," said Caranby, and quoted
Congreve--

"'Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned
Nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned.'"

"Oh," said Mallow, dropping his cigarette, and a whole story
was revealed to him in the quotation.

"A gentleman doesn't talk of these things," said Caranby
abruptly, "and for years I have held my tongue. Still, as
Mrs. Octagon does not hesitate to strike at me through you,
and as your happiness is at stake, and the happiness of the
girl you love, I shall tell you--so far as I can guess--
why the woman behaves in this way."

"If you please, sir," and Cuthbert settled himself to listen.

"About twenty years ago," said Caranby, plunging headfirst
into his subject, "Isabella and Selina Loach were well-known
in society. They were the daughters of a country squire--
Kent, I remember--and created a sensation with their beauty
when they came to town. I fell in love with Selina, and
Isabella--if you will pardon my vanity--fell in love with
me. She hated her sister on my account. I would have married
Selina, but her father, who was hard up, wished her to marry a