“No, Elf! No, dear! It is impossible! But it is not of my infirmities I wish to speak now. I would rather never mention them—much rather forget them, if that were possible! I only meant to say that of all the trials I have ever suffered, that of hearing such news of Anglesea as you have told me is the most painful! I cannot forget it! I think of it constantly, by day and by night.”
“I am very sorry that we had to tell you, Francis.”
“Elf! You knew Anglesea in those early days when we both came down to spend our holidays at Brighton with you.”
“Yes; I remember.”
“You knew him then. Could you have believed such villainies of him?”
“No, not then.”
“Nor could I then, nor can I now. I wish the man were in England. I would go to him and make these charges face to face, and put him on his defense. I shall never rest until I put him on his defense.”
“Do you not believe what we have told you and proved to you—that this man is a thief, a forger and a bigamist, even on his own showing?”
“I believe that you believe it, my dear. And I believe as much of it as I can believe in the absence of the accused. And when a man is accused of crime he should be present and be put upon his defense. I wish to charge Anglesea to his face with these felonies and to hear what he has to say.”
Elfrida Force looked so coldly on her brother in answer to these words that he hastened to say: