"At my age," she said, "Lord Howel will soon be free; you will not have long to wait for him." The young widow looked at her sadly--answered her sadly.
"Oh, my lady, your better nature will surely regret having said that!" For a moment her eyes rested on Beaucourt, dim with rising tears.

She left the room--and left the house.
There was silence between the husband and wife.

Beaucourt was the first to speak again.
"After what you have just heard, do you persist in your jealousy of that lady, and your jealousy of me ?" he asked.
"I have behaved cruelly to her and to you.

I am ashamed of myself," was all she said in reply.

That expression of sorrow, so simple and so true, did not appeal in vain to the gentler side of Beaucourt's nature.