She explained those reasons to me, and I fully concurred in them." "She might have such reasons with regard to other people; she could have none with reference to me." "Pardon me, she mentioned your name in a very particular manner." "And yet she has had good cause to trust in my fidelity." "She has a very great respect and esteem for you, I am aware.

She said as much to me.

But her reasons for keeping her affairs to herself just now are quite apart from her personal feeling for yourself." "I cannot understand this.

I am not to see her then, I suppose; not to be told her address ?" "No; I am strictly forbidden to disclose her address to any one." "Yet you can positively assure me that she is in safety--her own mistress--happy ?" "She is in perfect safety--her own mistress--and as happy as it is possible she can be under the unfortunate circumstances of her married life.

She has left her husband for ever; I will venture to tell you so much as that." "I am quite aware of that fact." "How so?
I thought Mr.Holbrook was quite unknown to you ?" "I have learnt a good deal about him lately." "Indeed!" exclaimed the lawyer, with a genuine air of surprise.
"But of course your client has been perfectly frank in her communications with you upon this subject ?" Gilbert said.
"Yes; I know that Mrs.Holbrook has left her husband, but I did not for a moment suppose she had left him of her own free will.