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writer's intentionthe whole letter had been put together； and
the promised copy of it was forwarded to me in Paris。
Before you； too； read that dreadful letter； do me one favor。 Let
me briefly remind you of the circumstances under which Eustace
Macallan married his first wife。
Remember that the poor creature fell in love with him without
awakening any corresponding affection on his side。 Remember that
he separated himself from her； and did all he could to avoid her；
when he found this out。 Remember that she presented herself at
his residence in London without a word of warning； that he did
his best to save her reputation； that he failed； through no fault
of his own； and that he ended； rashly ended in a moment of
despair； by marrying her； to silence the scandal that must
otherwise have blighted her life as a woman for the rest of her
days。 Bear all this in mind （it is the sworn testimony of
respectable witnesses）； and pray do not forgethowever foolishly
and blamably he may have written about her in the secret pages of
his Diarythat he was proved to have done his best to conceal
from his wife the aversion which the poor soul inspired in him；
and that he was （in the opinion of those who could best judge
him） at least a courteous and a considerate husband； if he could
be no more。
And now take the letter。 It asks but one favor of you： it asks to
be read by the light of Christ's teaching〃Judge not； that ye be
not judged。〃
CHAPTER XLVII。
THE WIFE'S CONFESSION。
〃GLENINCH； October 19； 18。
〃MY HUSBAND
〃I have something very painful to tell you about one of your
oldest friends。
〃You have never encouraged me to come to you with any confidences
of mine。 If you had allowed me to be as familiar with you as some
wives are with their husbands； I should have spoken to you
personally instead of writing。 As it is； I don't know how you
might receive what I have to say to you if I said it by word of
mouth。 So I write。
〃The man against whom I warn you is still a guest in this
houseMiserrimus Dexter。 No falser or wickeder creature walks
the earth。 Don't throw my letter aside！ I have waited to say this
until I could find proof that might satisfy you。 I have got the
proof。
〃You may remember that I ventured to express some disapproval
when you first told me you had asked this man to visit us。 If you
had allowed me time to explain myself； I might have been bold
enough to give you a good reason for the aversion I felt toward
your friend。 But you would not wait。 You hastily （and most
unjustly） accused me of feeling prejudiced against the miserable
creature on account of his deformity。 No other feeling than
compassion for deformed persons has ever entered my mind。 I have；
indeed； alm ost a fellow…feeling for them； being that next worst
thing myself to a deformitya plain woman。 I objected to Mr。
Dexter as your guest because he had asked me to be his wife in
past days； and because I had reason to fear that he still
regarded me （after my marriage） with a guilty and a horrible
love。 Was it not my duty； as a good wife； to object to his being
your guest at Gleninch？ And was it not your duty； as a good
husband； to encourage me to say more？
〃Well； Mr。 Dexter has been your guest for many weeks； and Mr。
Dexter has dared to speak to me again of his love。 He has
insulted me； and insulted you； by declaring that _he_ adores me
and that _you_ hate me。 He has promised me a life of unalloyed
happiness； in a foreign country with my lover； and he has
prophesied for me a life of unendurable misery at home with my
husband。
〃Why did I not make my complaint to you； and have this monster
dismissed from the house at once and forever？
〃Are you sure you would have believed me if I had complained； and
if your bosom friend had denied all intention of insulting me？ I
heard you once say （when you were not aware that I was within
hearing） that the vainest women were always the ugly women。 You
might have accused _me_ of vanity。 Who knows？
〃But I have no desire to shelter myself under this excuse。 I am a
jealous； unhappy creature； always doubtful of your affection for
me； always fearing that another woman has got my place in your
heart。 Miserrimus Dexter has practiced on this weakness of mine。
He has declared he can prove to me （if I will permit him） that I
am； in your secret heart； an object of loathing to you； that you
shrink from touching me； that you curse the hour when you were
foolish enough to make me your wife。 I have struggled as long as
I could against the temptation to let him produce his proofs。 It
was a terrible temptation to a woman who was far from feeling
sure of the sincerity of your affection for her； and it has ended
in getting the better of my resistance。 I wickedly concealed the
disgust which the wretch inspired in me； I wickedly gave him
leave to explain himself； I wickedly permitted this enemy of
yours and of mine to take me into his confidence。 And why？
Because I loved you； and you only； and because Miserrimus
Dexter's proposal did； after all； echo a doubt of you that had
long been gnawing secretly at my heart。
〃Forgive me； Eustace！ This is my first sin against you。 It shall
be my last。
〃I will not spare myself； I will write a full confession of what
I said to him and of what he said to me。 You may make me suffer
for it when you know what I have done； but you will at least be
warned in time； you will see your false friend in his true light。
〃I said to him； 'How can you prove to me that my husband hates me
in secret？'
〃He answered； 'I can prove it under his own handwriting； you
shall see it in his Diary。'
〃I said； 'His Diary has a lock； and the drawer in which he keeps
it has a lock。 How can you get at the Diary and the drawer？'
〃He answered； 'I have my own way of getting at both of them；
without the slightest risk of being discovered by your husband。
All you have to do is to give me the opportunity of seeing you
privately。 I will engage； in return； to bring the open Diary with
me to your room。'
〃I said； 'How can I give you the opportunity？ What do you mean？'
'He pointed to the key in the door of communication between my
room and the little study。
〃He said； 'With my infirmity； I may not be able to profit by the
first opportunity of visiting you here unobserved。 I must be able
to choose my own time and my own way of getting to you secretly。
Let me take this key； leaving the door locked。 When the key is
missed； if _you_ say it doesn't matterif _you_ point out that
the door is locked； and tell the servants not to trouble
themselves about finding the keythere will be no disturbance in
the house； and I shall be in secure possession of a means of
communication with you which no one will suspect。 Will you do
this？'
〃I have done it。
〃Yes！ I have become the accomplice of this double…faced villain。
I have degraded myself and outraged you by making an appointment
to pry into your Diary。 I know how base my conduct is。 I can make
no excuse。 I can only repeat that I love you； and that I am
sorely afraid you don't love me。 And Miserrimus Dexter offers to
end my doubts by sho