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〃I entreat you to try me！〃
〃But； Mr。 Mirabel； you don't know what I am thinking of。〃
〃I don't want to know。〃
〃I may be wrong。 My friends all say I _am_ wrong。〃
〃I don't care what your friends say； I don't care about any earthly thing but your tranquillity。 Does your dog ask whether you are right or wrong？ I am your dog。 I think of You； and I think of nothing else。〃
She looked back through the experience of the last few days。 Miss LaddMrs。 EllmotherDoctor Allday： not one of them had felt for her； not one of them had spoken to her； as this man had felt and had spoken。 She remembered the dreadful sense of solitude and helplessness which had wrung her heart； in the interval before Mirabel came in。 Her father himself could hardly have been kinder to her than this friend of a few weeks only。 She looked at him through her tears； she could say nothing that was eloquent； nothing even that was adequate。 〃You are very good to me；〃 was her only acknowledgment of all that he had offered。 How poor it seemed to be！ and yet how much it meant！
He rosesaying considerately that he would leave her to recover herself； and would wait to hear if he was wanted。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I must not let you go。 In common gratitude I ought to decide before you leave me； and I do decide to take you into my confidence。〃 She hesitated； her color rose a little。 〃I know how unselfishly you offer me your help；〃 she resumed； 〃I know you speak to me as a brother might speak to a sister〃
He gently interrupted her。 〃No；〃 he said； 〃I can't honestly claim to do that。 Andmay I venture to remind you？you know why。〃
She started。 Her eyes rested on him with a momentary expression of reproach。
〃Is it quite fair；〃 she asked； 〃in my situation； to say that？〃
〃Would it have been quite fair；〃 he rejoined； 〃to allow you to deceive yourself？ Should I deserve to be taken into your confidence； if I encouraged you to trust me； under false pretenses？ Not a word more of those hopes on which the happiness of my life depends shall pass my lips； unless you permit it。 In my devotion to your interests； I promise to forget myself。 My motives may be misinterpreted； my position may be misunderstood。 Ignorant people may take me for that other happier man； who is an object of interest to you〃
〃Stop； Mr。 Mirabel！ The person to whom you refer has no such claim on me as you suppose。〃
〃Dare I say how happy I am to hear it？ Will you forgive me？〃
〃I will forgive you if you say no more。〃
Their eyes met。 Completely overcome by the new hope that she had inspired； Mirabel was unable to answer her。 His sensitive nerves trembled under emotion； like the nerves of a woman； his delicate complexion faded away slowly into whiteness。 Emily was alarmedhe seemed to be on the point of fainting。 She ran to the window to open it more widely。
〃Pray don't trouble yourself；〃 he said； 〃I am easily agitated by any sudden sensationand I am a little overcome at this moment by my own happiness。〃
〃Let me give you a glass of wine。〃
〃Thank youI don't need it indeed。〃
〃You really feel better？〃
〃I feel quite well againand eager to hear how I can serve you。〃
〃It's a long story； Mr。 Mirabeland a dreadful story。〃
〃Dreadful？〃
〃Yes！ Let me tell you first how you can serve me。 I am in search of a man who has done me the cruelest wrong that one human creature can inflict on another。 But the chances are all against meI am only a woman； and I don't know how to take even the first step toward discovery。〃
〃You will know； when I guide you。〃
He reminded her tenderly of what she might expect from him； and was rewarded by a grateful look。 Seeing nothing； suspecting nothing； they advanced together nearer and nearer to the end。
〃Once or twice；〃 Emily continued； 〃I spoke to you of my poor father； when we were at Monksmoorand I must speak of him again。 You could have no interest in inquiring about a strangerand you cannot have heard how he died。〃
〃Pardon me； I heard from Mr。 Wyvil how he died。〃
〃You heard what I had told Mr。 Wyvil；〃 Emily said： 〃I was wrong。〃
〃Wrong！〃 Mirabel exclaimed； in a tone of courteous surprise。 〃Was it not a sudden death？〃
〃It _was_ a sudden death。〃
〃Caused by disease of the heart？〃
〃Caused by no disease。 I have been deceived about my father's deathand I have only discovered it a few days since。〃
At the impending moment of the frightful shock which she was innocently about to inflict on him； she stoppeddoubtful whether it would be best to relate how the discovery had been made； or to pass at once to the result。 Mirabel supposed that she had paused to control her agitation。 He was so immeasurably far away from the faintest suspicion of what was coming that he exerted his ingenuity； in the hope of sparing her。
〃I can anticipate the rest；〃 he said。 〃Your sad loss has been caused by some fatal accident。 Let us change the subject； tell me more of that man whom I must help you to find。 It will only distress you to dwell on your father's death。〃
〃Distress me？〃 she repeated。 〃His death maddens me！〃
〃Oh； don't say that！〃
〃Hear me！ hear me！ My father died murdered； at Zeelandand the man you must help me to find is the wretch who killed him。〃
She started to her feet with a cry of terror。 Mirabel dropped from his chair senseless to the floor。
CHAPTER LIV。
THE END OF THE FAINTING FIT。
Emily recovered her presence of mind。 She opened the door； so as to make a draught of air in the room； and called for water。 Returning to Mirabel； she loosened his cravat。 Mrs。 Ellmother came in； just in time to prevent her from committing a common error in the treatment of fainting persons； by raising Mirabel's head。 The current of air； and the sprinkling of water over his face； soon produced their customary effect。 〃He'll come round； directly；〃 Mrs。 Ellmother remarked。 〃Your aunt was sometimes taken with these swoons； miss； and I know something about them。 He looks a poor weak creature； in spite of his big beard。 Has anything frightened him？〃
Emily little knew how correctly that chance guess had hit on the truth！
〃Nothing can possibly have frightened him；〃 she replied； 〃I am afraid he is in bad health。 He turned suddenly pale while we were talking； and I thought he was going to be taken ill； he made light of it； and seemed to recover。 Unfortunately； I was right； it was the threatening of a fainting fithe dropped on the floor a minute afterward。〃
A sigh fluttered over Mirabel's lips。 His eyes opened； looked at Mrs。 Ellmother in vacant terror； and closed again。 Emily whispered to her to leave the room。 The old woman smiled satirically as she opened the doorthen looked back； with a sudden change of humor。 To see the kind young mistress bending over the feeble little clergyman set herby some strange association of ideasthinking of Alban Morris。 〃Ah；〃 she muttered to herself； on her way out； 〃I call _him_ a Man！〃
There was wine in the sideboardthe wine which Emily had once already offered in vain。 Mirabel drank it eagerly； this time。 He looked round the room； as if he wished to be sure that they were alone。 〃Have I fallen to a low place in your estimation？〃 he asked； smiling faintly。 〃I am afraid you will think poorly enough of your