And then--just a week before the fire--another woman came, and told me that it was not a real marriage; that--that he had been through exactly the same form with her--and there was nothing in it." She stopped again at sound of a low laugh from Vulcan.

"Not quite the same form, my dear," he said.

"Yours was as legal and binding as the English law could make it.

I have the certificate with me to prove this.
As you say, you were valuable to me then--as you will be again, and so I was careful that the contract should be complete in every particular.
Now--if you have quite finished your--shall we call it confession ?--I suggest that you should return to your lawful husband and leave this gentleman to console himself as soon as may be.

It is growing late, and it is not my intention that you should spend another night under his protection." He spoke slowly, with a curious, compelling emphasis, and as if in answer to that compulsion Puck's eyes came back to his.
"Oh, no!" she said, in a quick, frightened whisper.