There are secret and sacred duties which we sometimes do not tell, even
to our nearest and dearest . . . but I said we should not speak of
these things, and we must not." She rose to her feet. "My husband is
somewhere near. I will call him. There are so many things that men can
talk of-pleasant and agreeable things--"

He had risen with her, and as her hand was stretched out to ring, stayed
it. "No, never mind your husband just now. I think he knows what I am
going to say to you."

"But, oh, you must not--must not!" she urged.

"Pardon me, but I must," was his reply.

"As I said, you thought I was a good fellow. Well, I am not; not at all.
I will tell you why I left you. I was--already married."

He let the bare unrelieved fact face her, and shock her.

"You were--already married--when--you loved me," she said, her face
showing misery and shame.

He smiled a little bitterly when he saw the effect of his words, but said
clearly: "Yes. You see I was a villain."

She shuddered a little, and then said simply: "Your face was not the face
of a bad man. Are you telling me the truth?"

He nodded.