He had broken his wife's heart by his cruelty, and since her death his life had been one long scene of dissipation.

Was it any wonder that I rejected them all?
and learnt to distrust and almost to hate every man?
"When Valmai came here I soon found out enough of her story to prove to me, as I thought, that she had been weak where I had been strong; that she had given her heart, with all its precious love, to one of the same type of manhood as it had been my ill-fortune to meet; and when, one evening as I walked here by the lake, a young man followed me and addressed me as Valmai, the only feeling that rushed into my mind and possessed my whole being might be expressed in these words--'Here is the murderer of my sister's happiness; at any risk I will keep him from her.

She is happy and calm now; he shall never again disturb her peace of mind, if I can help it.' "He was so completely under the illusion that I was Valmai that I had no occasion to tell a lie, and I only spoke the truth when I told him that I hated him, and that my greatest desire was never to see his face again.

He was wounded to the quick.

I saw it, I realised it all, and, oh, I felt for him, for there was something open and winsome about him--something that tempted me to trust him; but I hardened my heart, and I added him to my list of unworthy men.