THE history Vargrave had heard he revolved much when he retired to rest.
He could not but allow that there was still little ground for more than
conjecture that Alice Darvil and Alice Lady Vargrave were one and the
same person. It might, however, be of great importance to him to trace
this conjecture to certainty. The knowledge of a secret of early sin and
degradation in one so pure, so spotless, as Lady Vargrave, might be of
immense service in giving him a power over her, which he could turn to
account with Evelyn. How could he best prosecute further inquiry,--by
repairing at once to Brook-Green, or--the thought struck him--by visiting
and "pumping" Mrs. Leslie, the patroness of Mrs. Butler, of C-----, the
friend of Lady Vargrave? It was worth trying the latter,--it was little
out of his way back to London. His success in picking the brains of Mr.
Onslow of a secret encouraged him in the hope of equal success with Mrs.
Leslie. He decided accordingly, and fell asleep to dream of Christmas
_battues_, royal visitors, the Cabinet, the premiership! Well, no
possession equals the dream of it! Sleep on, my lord! you would be
restless enough if you were to get all you want.

For the next three days, Lord Vargrave was employed in examining the
general outlines of the estate; and the result of this survey satisfied
him as to the expediency of the purchase. On the third day, he was
several miles from the house when a heavy rain came on. Lord Vargrave
was constitutionally hardy, and not having been much exposed to
visitations of the weather of late years, was not practically aware that
when a man is past forty, he cannot endure with impunity all that falls
innocuously on the elasticity of twenty-six. He did not, therefore, heed
the rain that drenched him to the skin, and neglected to change his dress
till he had finished reading some letters and newspapers which awaited
his return at Lisle Court. The consequence of this imprudence was, that
the next morning when he woke, Lord Vargrave found himself, for almost