human
My God, what is the matter?
gpt
Lord Wilmersley-- Cyril jumped as if he had been shot.
human
Yes, she continued,
gpt
I know who you are. I also know who I am.
human
But who told you?
gpt
You did,
human
I? What do you mean?
gpt
You called me Anita! You didn't know that, did you?
human
Did I really? What a blundering fool I have been from first to last!
gpt
You need not reproach yourself. For some days I had been haunted by fragmentary visions of the past and before I saw you yesterday, I was practically certain that you were not my husband. Oh! It was not without a struggle that I finally made up my mind that you had deceived me. I told myself again and again that you were not the sort of a man who would take advantage of an unprotected girl; yet the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that my suspicions were correct. Then I tried to imagine what reason you could have for posing as my husband, but I could think of none. I was in despair! I didn't know what to do, whom to turn to; for if I could not trust you, whom could I trust? When I heard my name, it was as if a dim light suddenly flooded my brain. I knew who I was. I remembered leaving Geralton, but little by little I realised with dismay that I was still completely in the dark as to who you were, why you had come into my life. It seemed to me that if I could not discover the truth, I should go mad. Then I decided to appeal to Miss Trevor. She was a woman. She looked kind. She would tell me! I was somehow convinced that she did not know who I was, but I said to myself that she would certainly have heard of my disappearance, for I could not believe that Arthur had allowed me to go out of his life without moving heaven and earth to find me.
human
You did not know----?
gpt
No; it was Miss Trevor who told me that Arthur was dead--that he had been murdered. She shuddered convulsively.
human
You see, she added with pathetic humility,
gpt
Why take it for granted that you did?
human
Do you suspect any one else?
gpt
Not at present, but----
human
No, of course not. I must have killed him. But I never meant to--you will believe that, won't you? Those doctors were right, I must have been insane!
gpt
I am sure you were not. Arthur only intended to frighten you by sending for those men.
human
But if I was not crazy, why can I remember so little of what took place on that dreadful night and for some time afterwards?
gpt
I am told that a severe shock often has that effect, replied Cyril.
human
But, oh, how I wish you could answer a few questions! I don't want to raise your hopes; but there is one thing that has always puzzled me and till that is explained I for one shall always doubt whether it was you who killed Arthur.
gpt
Oh, tell me quickly what--what makes you think that I may not have done so?
human
Yet now that she knows the worst, it may be a relief to her to talk about it, he said to himself.
gpt
Yes, I will risk it,
human
Do you remember that you put a drug in Arthur's coffee?
gpt
Yes, perfectly.
human
Then you must have expected to make your escape before he regained consciousness.
gpt
Yes--yes!
human
Then why did you arm yourself with a pistol?
gpt
I didn't! I had no pistol.
human
But if you shot Arthur, you must have had a pistol.
gpt
I could have sworn I had no pistol.
human
You knew, however, that Arthur owned one?
gpt
Yes, but I never knew where he kept it.
human
You are sure you have not forgotten----
gpt
No, no! she interrupted him.
human
My memory is perfectly clear up to the time when Arthur seized me and threw me on the floor.
gpt
After that you remember nothing?
human
Oh, yes, I have a vague recollection of a long walk through the dark--of a train--of you--of policemen. But everything is so confused that I can be sure of nothing.
gpt
It seems to me incredible, he said at last,
human
It is extraordinary, and yet I must have done so. For it has been proved, has it not, that Arthur and I were absolutely alone?
gpt
Certainly not! How can we be sure that some one was not concealed in the room or did not climb in through the window or--why, there are a thousand possibilities which can never be proved!
human
Ah! she exclaimed, her whole body trembling with eagerness.
gpt
I now remember that I had put all my jewels in a bag, and as that has disappeared, a burglar--
human
You had the bag with you at the nursing home. The jewels are safe,
gpt
Then, she cried,
human
What do you mean?
gpt
I have decided to give myself up.
human
You shall not! I will not allow it!
gpt
But don't you see that I can't spend the rest of my life in hiding? Think what it would mean to live in daily, hourly dread of exposure? Why, death would be preferable to that.
human
Oh, you would be acquitted. There is no doubt of that. That is not what I am afraid of. But the idea of you, Anita, in prison. Why, it is out of the question. A week of it would kill you.
gpt
And if it did, what of it? What has life to offer me now?
human
Give me time. I will find some way of saving you. I will do anything--everything.
gpt
There is nothing you can do, she said, laying her hand gently on his arm.
human
You have already risked too much. Oh, I can never thank you enough for all your goodness to me!
gpt
Don't--don't--I would gladly give my life for you!
human
I know it, Cousin Cyril,