The gentleman was Captain Stanwick.
He was so fearfully changed for the worse that she hardly knew him again.
After his first glance at her, he held his hand over his bloodshot eyes as if the sunlight hurt them.

Without a word to prepare her for the disclosure, he confessed that he had killed Mr.Varleigh in a duel.
His remorse (he declared) had unsettled his reason: only a few days had passed since he had been released from confinement in an asylum.
"You are the cause of it," he said wildly.

"It is for love of you.

I have but one hope left to live for--my hope in you.

If you cast me off, my mind is made up.