"Then you listened—you overheard all that passed between us?" cried Adeline.
"Nearly every word," answered Lydia: "I only quitted the door of this chamber when he was about to leave it."
"And therefore you are well aware that he received no criminal encouragement on my part?"
"Oh! is there nothing criminal in the fact of a lady accepting her seducer—her former lover—the father of her first child, as her friend? And such a friend as Cholmondeley would prove!" continued Lydia, in a tone of the most mordent sarcasm: "such a friend! Good heavens! does your ladyship suppose that that man who is so selfish in his pleasure—so unprincipled in his adoption of means to procure the gratification of his wishes—would content himself with the cold title and small privileges of a friend? No—no! Were you to encourage his visits to this boudoir, ere the third were passed, you would become criminal again!"
"And was it to render me criminal again that you inveigled him hither by an atrocious forgery?" exclaimed Adeline.
"Such was not my object," replied Lydia; "although I have no interest in protecting your virtue! Your virtue—the virtue of Adeline Enfield—the virtue of Lady Ravensworth! Where was ever virtue so immaculate?"
"Beware lest you destroy every particle of virtue—that is, of forbearance—remaining within me," cried Adeline, her thoughts again reverting to the address which she had concealed in her jewel-casket.
"Could you kill me, I believe you capable of laying violent hands upon me," returned Lydia; "for I know how you must hate me—even as sincerely as I loathe you! But I have before told you that I am stronger than you!"
Adeline made no answer: her mind now dwelt with less horror than before upon the possible use which she might be driven to make of the address in the casket.
"Oh! brood—brood over plans of vengeance," exclaimed Lydia; "and remember that I defy you! All the dark malignity which is now expressed in your lowering countenance, does not terrify me. But listen to the conclusion of the narrative which I ere now began. My object in effecting the prolongation of the interview between Cholmondeley and yourself, was to afford me leisure to warn those of your servants to whom I had already hinted my suspicions of your infidelity."