“He is no husband of mine,” cried Lady Lisle, excitedly.
“Be reasonable. Come, think, my dear madam. You cannot wish to have a scandal. Your servants are in the hall. You cannot want them to hear.”
“They must hear—the whole world will hear. Oh, it is dreadful, dreadful!”
“Say a word to her, for heaven’s sake, Jack!” whispered Lady Tilborough; and the doctor stepped forward.
“Yes, Lady Lisle,” he said firmly, “I am bound to speak—as, temporarily, your medical attendant.”
“Wretched man, why did you not let me die?” cried Lady Lisle, pacing up and down and wringing her hands.
“Because I wished to save an estimable lady for a reconciliation with an old friend; for really, my dear madam, when you calm down, you will see that you have been most unreasonable.”
“Unreasonable? Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the unhappy woman, hysterically.
“Yes, my dear madam; most unreasonable. First in insisting upon leaving Oakleigh at this extremely early hour in the morning, after you had been suffering from a congeries of hysterical fits. Recollect what you promised me.”
“I recollect nothing but my wrongs,” cried Lady Lisle.