North　lifted　agonized　eyes。　　〃But　I　love　her！　　Love　her；　do　you　hear？　What　do　you　know　of　love？〃
  〃Love！〃　cried　Rufus　Dawes；　his　pale　face　radiant。　　〃Love！　Oh；　it　is　you　who　do　not　know　it。　　Love　is　the　sacrifice　of　self；　the　death　of　all　desire　that　is　not　for　another's　good。　　Love　is　Godlike！　　You　love？no；　no；　your　love　is　selfishness；　and　will　end　in　shame！　　Listen；　I　will　tell　you　the　history　of　such　a　love　as　yours。〃
  North；　enthralled　by　the　other's　overmastering　will；　fell　back　trembling。
  〃I　will　tell　you　the　secret　of　my　life；　the　reason　why　I　am　here。　Come　closer。〃
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  CHAPTER　XV。
  THE　DISCOVERY。
  The　house　in　Clarges　Street　was　duly　placed　at　the　disposal　of　Mrs。　Richard　Devine；　who　was　installed　in　it；　to　the　profound　astonishment　and　disgust　of　Mr。　Smithers　and　his　fellow…servants。　　It　now　only　remained　that　the　lady　should　be　formally　recognized　by　Lady　Devine。　　The　rest　of　the　ingenious　programme　would　follow　as　a　matter　of　course。　John　Rex　was　well　aware　of　the　position　which；　in　his　assumed　personality；　he　occupied　in　society。　　He　knew　that　by　the　world　of　servants；　of　waiters；　of　those　to　whom　servants　and　waiters　could　babble；　of　such　turfites　and　men…about…town　as　had　reason　to　inquire　concerning　Mr。　Richard's　domestic　affairsno　opinion　could　be　expressed；　save　that　〃Devine's　married　somebody；　I　hear；〃　with　variations　to　the　same　effect。　　He　knew　well　that　the　really　great　world；　the　Society；　whose　scandal　would　have　been　socially　injurious；　had　long　ceased　to　trouble　itself　with　Mr。　Richard　Devine's　doings　in　any　particular。　　If　it　had　been　reported　that　the　Leviathan　of　the　Turf　had　married　his　washerwoman；　Society　would　only　have　intimated　that　〃it　was　just　what　might　have　been　expected　of　him〃。　　To　say　the　truth；　however；　Mr。　Richard　had　rather　hoped　thatdisgusted　at　his　brutalityLady　Devine　would　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　him；　and　that　the　ordeal　of　presenting　his　wife　would　not　be　necessary。　　Lady　Devine；　however；　had　resolved　on　a　different　line　of　conduct。　The　intelligence　concerning　Mr。　Richard　Devine's　threatened　proceedings　seemed　to　nerve　her　to　the　confession　of　the　dislike　which　had　been　long　growing　in　her　mind；　seemed　even　to　aid　the　formation　of　those　doubts；　the　shadows　of　which　had　now　and　then　cast　themselves　upon　her　belief　in　the　identity　of　the　man　who　called　himself　her　son。　　〃His　conduct　is　brutal；〃　said　she　to　her　brother。　　〃I　cannot　understand　it。〃
  〃It　is　more　than　brutal；　it　is　unnatural；〃　returned　Francis　Wade；　　and　stole　a　look　at　her。　　〃Moreover；　he　is　married。〃
  〃Married！〃　cried　Lady　Devine。
  〃So　he　says；〃　continued　the　other；　producing　the　letter　sent　to　him　by　Rex　at　Sarah's　dictation。　　〃He　writes　to　me　stating　that　his　wife；　whom　he　married　last　year　abroad；　has　come　to　England；　and　wishes　us　to　receive　her。〃
  〃I　will　not　receive　her！〃　cried　Lady　Devine；　rising　and　pacing　down　the　path。
  〃But　that　would　be　a　declaration　of　war；〃　said　poor　Francis；　twisting　an　Italian　onyx　which　adorned　his　irresolute　hand。　　〃I　would　not　advise　that。〃
  Lady　Devine　stopped　suddenly；　with　the　gesture　of　one　who　has　finally　made　a　difficult　and　long…considered　resolution。　　〃Richard　shall　not　sell　this　house；〃　she　said。
  〃But；　my　dear　Ellinor；〃　cried　her　brother；　in　some　alarm　at　this　unwonted　decision；　〃I　am　afraid　that　you　can't　prevent　him。〃
  〃If　he　is　the　man　he　says　he　is；　I　can；〃　returned　she；　with　effort。
  Francis　Wade　gasped。　　〃If　he　is　the　man！　It　is　trueI　have　sometimes　thoughtOh；　Ellinor；　can　it　be　that　we　have　been　deceived？〃
  She　came　to　him　and　leant　upon　him　for　support；　as　she　had　leant　upon　her　son　in　the　garden　where　they　now　stood；　nineteen　years　ago。　　〃I　do　not　know；　I　am　afraid　to　think。　　But　between　Richard　and　myself　is　a　secreta　shameful　secret；　Frank；　known　to　no　other　living　person。　　If　the　man　who　threatens　me　does　not　know　that　secret；　he　is　not　my　son。　　If　he　does　know　it〃
  〃Well；　in　Heaven's　name；　what　then？〃
  〃He　knows　that　he　has　neither　part　nor　lot　in　the　fortune　of　the　man　who　was　my　husband。〃
  〃Ellinor；　you　terrify　me。　　What　does　this　mean？〃
  〃I　will　tell　you　if　there　be　need　to　do　so；〃　said　the　unhappy　lady。　〃But　I　cannot　now。　　I　never　meant　to　speak　of　it　again；　even　to　him。　Consider　that　it　is　hard　to　break　a　silence　of　nearly　twenty　years。　Write　to　this　man；　and　tell　him　that　before　I　receive　his　wife；　I　wish　to　see　him　alone。　　Nodo　not　let　him　come　here　until　the　truth　be　known。　　I　will　go　to　him。〃
  It　was　with　some　trepidation　that　Mr。　Richard；　sitting　with　his　wife　on　the　afternoon　of　the　3rd　May；　1846；　awaited　the　arrival　of　his　mother。　He　had　been　very　nervous　and　unstrung　for　some　days　past；　and　the　prospect　of　the　coming　interview　was；　for　some　reason　he　could　not　explain　to　himself；　weighty　with　fears。　　〃What　does　she　want　to　come　alone　for？　　And　what　can　she　have　to　say？〃　he　asked　himself。　　〃She　cannot　suspect　anything　after　all　these　years；　surely？〃　　He　endeavoured　to　reason　with　himself；　but　in　vain；　the　knock　at　the　door　which　announced　the　arrival　of　his　pretended　mother　made　his　heart　jump。
  〃I　feel　deuced　shaky；　Sarah；〃　he　said。　　〃Let's　have　a　nip　of　something。〃
  〃You've　been　nipping　too　much　for　the　last　five　years；　Dick。〃　（She　had　quite　schooled　her　tongue　to　the　new　name。）　〃Your　'shakiness'　is　the　result　of　'nipping'；　I'm　afraid。〃
  〃Oh；　don't　preach；　I　am　not　in　the　humour　for　it。〃
  〃Help　yourself；　then。　　You　are　quite　sure　that　you　are　ready　with　your　story？〃
  The　brandy　revived　him；　and　he　rose　with　affected　heartiness。　　〃My　dear　mother；　allow　me　to　present　to　you〃　He　paused；　for　there　was　that　in　Lady　Devine's　face　which　confirmed　his　worst　fears。
  〃I　wish　to　speak　to　you　alone；〃　she　said；　ignoring　with　steady　eyes　the　woman　whom　she　had　ostensibly　come　to　see。
  John　Rex　hesitated；　but　Sarah　saw　the　danger；　and　hastened　to　confront　it。　〃A　wife　should　be　a　husband's　best　friend；　madam。　　Your　son　married　me　of　his　own　free　will；　and　even　his　mother　can　have　nothing　to　say　to　him　which　it　is　not　my　duty　and　privilege　to　hear。　　I　am　not　a　girl　as　you　can　see；　and　I　can　bear　whatever　news　you　bring。〃
  Lady　Devine　bit　her　pale　lips。　　She　saw　at　once　that　the　woman　before　her　was　not　gently…born；　but　she　felt　also　that　she　was　a　woman　of　higher　mental　calibre　than　herself。　　Prepared　as　she　was　for　the　worst；　this　sudden　and　open　declaration　of　hostilities　frightened　her；　as　Sarah　had　calculated。　She　began　to　realize　that　if　she　was　to　prove　equal　to　the　task　she　had　set　herself；　she　must　not　waste　her　strength　in　skirmishing。　Steadily　refusing　to　look　at　Richard's　wife；　she　addressed　herself　to　Richard。　〃My　brother　will　be　here　in　half　an　hour；〃　she　said；　as　though　the　mention　of　his　name　would　better　her　　position　in　some　way。　　〃But　I　begged　him　to　allow　me　to　come　first　in　order　that　I　might　speak　to　you　privately。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　John　Rex；　〃we　are　in　private。　　What　have　you　to　say？〃
  〃I　want　to　tell　you　that　I　forbid　you　to　carry　out　the　plan　you　have　for　breaking　up　Sir　Richard's　property。〃
  〃Forbid　me！〃　cried　Rex；　much　relieved。　　〃Why；　I　only　want　to　do　what　my　father's　will　enables　me　to　do。〃
  〃Your　father's　will　enables　you　to　do　nothing　of　the　sort；　and　you　know　it。〃　She　spoke　as　though　rehearsing　a　series　of　set…speeches；　and　Sarah　watched　her　with　growing　alarm。
  〃Oh；　nonsense！〃　cries　John　Rex；　in　sheer　amazement。　　〃I　have　a　lawyer's　opinion　on　it。〃
  〃Do　you　remember　what　took　place　at　Hampstead　this　day　nineteen　years　ago？〃
  〃At　Hampstead！〃　said　Rex；　grown　suddenly　pale。　　〃This　day　nineteen　years　ago。　No！　　What　do　you　mean？〃
  〃Do　you　not　remember？〃　she　continued；　leaning　forward　eagerly；　and　speaking　almost　fiercely。　　〃Do　you　not　remember　the　reason　why　you　left　the　house　where　you　were　born；　and　which　you　now　wish　to　sell　to　strangers？〃
  John　Rex　stood　dumbfounded；　the　blood　suffusing　his　temples。　　He　knew　that　among　the　secrets　of　the　man　whose　inheritance　he　had　stolen　was　one　which　he　had　never　gainedthe　secret　of　that　sacrifice　to　which　Lady　Devine　had　once　referredand　he　felt　that　this　secret　was　to　be　revealed　to　crush　him　now。
  Sarah；　trembling　also；　but　more　with　rage　than　terror；　swept　towards　Lady　Devine。　　〃Speak　out！〃　she　said；　〃if　you　have　anything　to　say！　Of　what　do　you　accuse　my　husband？〃
  〃Of　imposture！〃　cried　Lady　Devine；　all　her　outraged　maternity　nerving　her　to　abash　her　enemy。　　〃This　man　may　be　your　husband；　but　he　is　not　my　son！〃
  Now　that　the　worst　was　out；　John　Rex；　choking　with　passion；　felt　all　the　devil　within　him　rebelling　against　defeat。　　〃You　are　mad；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　recognized　me　for　three　years；　and　now；　because　I　want　to　claim　that　which　is　my　own；　you　invent　this　lie。　　Take　care　how　you　provoke　me。　If　I　am　not　your　sonyou　have　recognized　me　as　such。　　I　stand　upon　the　law　and　upon　my　rights。〃
  Lady　Devine　turned　swiftly；　and　with　both　hands　to　her　bosom；　confronted　him。
  〃You　shall　have　your　rights！　　You　shall　have　what　the　law　allows　you！　Oh；　how　blind　I　have　been　all　these　years。　　Persist　in　your　infamous　imposture。　　Call　yourself　Richard　Devine　still；　and　I　will　tell　the　world　the　shameful　secret　which　my　son　died　to　hide。　　Be　Richard