I stood up, and stood back from her in a sudden revulsion of feeling.
'You do not know me!' I cried, 'You do not know what I have done!' 'That is what I do know,' she answered, looking at me with a wondrous smile.
'Ah! but you do not!' I cried.

'And besides, there is this--this between us.' And I picked up the Cardinal's letter.

It had fallen on the floor.
She turned a shade paler.

Then she cried quickly,-- 'Open it! open it! It is not sealed nor closed.' I obeyed mechanically, dreading with a horrible dread what I might see.
Even when I had it open I looked at the finely scrawled characters with eyes askance.

But at last I made it out.