"In other words to be quite honest--you wish me to learn her
trouble if I can."

"I believe you can be trusted to do so."

"And then to reveal it to you?"

"If your sense of duty permits,--which I think it will."

I might have uttered in reply, "A spy's duty?" but the high-
mindedness of his look forbade. Whatever humiliation his wishes
put upon me, there could be no question of the uprightness of his
motives regarding his wife.

I ventured one more question.

"How far shall I feel myself at liberty to go in this attempt?"

"As far as your judgment approves and circumstances seem to
warrant. I know that you will come upon nothing dishonorable to
her, or detrimental to our relations as husband and wife, in this
secret which is destroying our happiness. Her affection for me
is undoubted, but something--God knows what--has laid waste her
life. To find and annihilate that something is my first and
foremost duty. It does not fit well with those other duties
pressing upon me from the political field, does it? That is why
I have called in help. That is why I have called you in."

The emphasis was delicately but sincerely given. It struck my