I was wrong to trust you; you are no better than all the rest of them." I had by this time recovered a little from my first astonishment, and was able to reply before he could say anything more.

It was quite useless, in his present state, to reason with him or to defend myself.

I determined to risk everything, and break my news to him at once.
"You will treat me more justly, Monkton, when you know that I have been doing you good service during my absence," I said.

"Unless I am greatly mistaken, the object for which we have left Naples may be nearer attainment by both of us than--" The flush left his cheeks almost in an instant.

Some expression in my face, or some tone in my voice, of which I was not conscious, had revealed to his nervously-quickened perception more than I had intended that he should know at first.