"Not so bad as I think! Read--read it," she said, taking the letter from the Duchess's fingers and holding it before her face.

"I found it on the staircase.

I could not help but read it." She sat and clasped and unclasped her hands in utter misery.

"Oh, the shame of it, the bitter shame of it! Have I not been a good wife to him?
Have I not had reason to break my heart?
But I waited, and I wanted to be good and to do right.

And to-night I was going to try once more--I felt it in the opera.