human
Do not be frightened, dear, she said.
gpt
You must tell me the truth, and I will see that no harm comes to you.
human
The only Montague Hill I ever knew, Annabel said slowly,
gpt
Yes, I remember, she said.
human
It was the night you left Paris. They thought that he was dead at first, and they took him to the hospital. I believe that his recovery was considered almost miraculous.
gpt
Alive, Annabel moaned, her eyes large with terror.
human
You say that he is alive.
gpt
He is certainly alive, Anna declared.
human
More than that, he arrived to-day at the boarding-house where I am staying, greeted me with a theatrical start, and claimed me--as his wife. That is why I am here. You must tell me what it all means.
gpt
And you? Annabel exclaimed.
human
What did you say?
gpt
Well, I considered myself justified in denying it, Anna answered drily.
human
He produced what he called a marriage certificate, and I believe that nearly every one in the boarding-house, including Mrs. White, my landlady, believes his story. I am fairly well hardened in iniquity--your iniquity, Annabel--but I decline to have a husband thrust upon me. I really cannot have anything to do with Mr. Montague Hill.
gpt
A--marriage certificate!
human
Let me get you some water, Annabel. Don't be frightened, dear. Remember----
gpt
A thick-set, coarse-looking young man, Anna! she exclaimed in a hoarse excited whisper.
human
He has a stubbly yellow moustache, weak eyes, and great horrid hands.
gpt
It is the same man, Annabel, she said.
human
There is no doubt whatever about that. There was the motor accident, too. It is the same man, for he raved in the hospital, and they fetched me. It was you, of course, whom he wanted.
gpt
Alive! In London!
human
Yes. Pull yourself together, Annabel! I must have the truth.
gpt
You shall, she said.
human
Listen! There was a Meysey Hill in Paris, an American railway millionaire. This man and he were alike, and about the same age. Montague Hill was taken for the millionaire once or twice, and I suppose it flattered his vanity. At any rate, he began to deliberately personate him. He sent me flowers. Celeste introduced him to me--oh, how Celeste hated me! She must have known. He--wanted to marry me. Just then--I was nervous. I had gone further than I meant to--with some Englishmen. I was afraid of being talked about. You don't know, Anna, but when one is in danger one realizes that the--the other side of the line is Hell. The man was mad to marry me. I heard everywhere of his enormous riches and his generosity. I consented. We went to the Embassy. There was--a service. Then he took me out to Monteaux, on a motor. We were to have breakfast there and return in the evening. On the way he confessed. He was a London man of business, spending a small legacy in Paris. He had heard me sing--the fool thought himself in love with me. Celeste he knew. She was chaffing him about being taken for Meysey Hill, and suggested that he should be presented to me as the millionaire. He told me with a coarse nervous laugh. I was his wife. We were to live in some wretched London suburb. His salary was a few paltry hundreds a year. Anna, I listened to all that he had to say, and I called to him to let me get out. He laughed. I tried to jump, but he increased the speed. We were going at a mad pace. I struck him across the mouth, and across the eyes. He lost control of the machine. I jumped then--I was not even shaken. I saw the motor dashed to pieces against the wall, and I saw him pitched on his head into the road. I leaned over and looked at him--he was quite still. I could not hear his heart beat. I thought that he was dead. I stole away and walked to the railway station. That night in Paris I saw on the bills 'Fatal Motor Accidents.' _Le Petit Journal_ said that the man was dead. I was afraid that I might be called upon as a witness. That is why I was so anxious to leave Paris. The man who came to our rooms, you know, that night was his friend.
gpt
The good God! Anna murmured, herself shaken with fear.
human
You were married to him!
gpt
It could not be legal, Annabel moaned.
human
It couldn't be. I thought that I was marrying Meysey Hill, not that creature. We stepped from the Embassy into the motor--and oh! I thought that he was dead. Why didn't he die?
gpt
You won't give me away, Anna. He would never recognize me now. You are much more like what I was then.
human
You don't propose, do you, she said quietly,
gpt
You can drive him away, Annabel cried.
human
Tell him that he is mad. Go and live somewhere else.
gpt
In his present mood, Anna remarked,
human
Oh, you are strong and brave, Annabel murmured.
gpt
You can keep him at arm's length. Besides, it was under false pretences. He told me that he was a millionaire. It could not be a legal marriage.
human
I am very much afraid, Anna answered,
gpt
You don't know him, Anna, she said with a little shudder,
human
Annabel, she said slowly,
gpt
Oh, I will pledge you my word, Annabel cried passionately,
human
Remember that you are young still, and fond of admiration, Anna said.
gpt
You will not give Sir John any cause for jealousy? You will have no secrets from him except--concerning those things which are past?
human
Anna, I swear it!
gpt
Then I will do what I can, Anna promised.
human
I believe that you are quite safe. He has had brain fever since, and, as you say, I am more like what you were then than you yourself are now. I don't think for a moment that he would recognize you.
gpt
Anna, you are the dearest, bravest sister in the world, she cried.
human
Oh, I can't thank you. You dear, dear girl. I--listen.
gpt
Sir John!
human
One moment, if you please!