speak the truth. And now I will say that I do not respect thee. No
matter how high thee may climb, still I shall not respect thee; for thee
will ever gain ends by flattery, by subtlety, and by using every man and
every woman for selfish ends. Thee cannot be true-not even to that which
by nature is greatest in thee.".

He withered under her words.

"And what is greatest in me?" he asked abruptly, his coolness and self-
possession striving to hold their own.

"That which will ruin thee in the end." Her eyes looked beyond his into
the distance, rapt and shining; she seemed scarcely aware of his
presence. "That which will bring thee down--thy hungry spirit of
discovery. It will serve thee no better than it served the late Earl.
But thee it will lead into paths ending in a gulf of darkness."

"Deborah!" he answered, with a rasping laugh. "Continuez! Forewarned
is forearmed."

"No, do not think I shall be glad," she answered, still like one in a
dream. "I shall lament it as I lament--as I lament now. All else fades
away into the end which I see for thee. Thee will live alone without a
near and true friend, and thee will die alone, never having had a true
friend. Thee will never be a true friend, thee will never love truly man
or woman, and thee will never find man or woman who will love thee truly,
or will be with thee to aid thee in the dark and falling days."

"Then," he broke in sharply, querulously, "then, I will stand alone.
I shall never come whining that I have been ill-used, to fate or fortune,