Scarce daring to breathe, I stood rooted to the spot, but just as I had
made the startling discovery the moon appeared from behind a bank of
cloud, shining down through the leafy branches, and revealing my wife
leaning upon the arm of her companion.
He was bending over her, with his face hidden from me. My first impulse
was to rush forward and surprise them; but reflecting a moment, I stood
eagerly watching. He was uttering tenderly-spoken words, and her head
was resting upon his shoulder, when suddenly he turned and glanced in my
direction.
The moonlight fell full upon his face, and in a moment I recognised it
as one I had seen before!
It was a countenance every feature of which was impressed only too
deeply upon my memory--that of the man I had seen leaving the house in
Bedford Place!--the man I had vowed to deliver up to justice whenever he
should cross my path!
There was a rustling among the bracken, and the branches of the trees
gently swaying, cast weird shadows around which a heated imagination
could easily have transformed into the shapes and forms of supernatural
creatures.
Again peeping from my place of concealment, I saw my wife and her
companion were moving onward; indeed I was compelled to draw back
quickly, for she passed so close that I could touch her.
Conversing in the same earnest tones they strolled slowly along to the
edge of the wood; but I did not follow them: I had heard and seen
enough.
Stunned and bewildered, no tears welled from my eyes, but, nevertheless,
I began to bitterly repent the implicit trust I had placed in Vera, and
firmly resolved not to rest until I could bring to justice the inhuman
monster who, not content with his horrible deeds, had ruined that
happiness that I foolishly believed would last always.
The shock was so great it prostrated me. The impulse to follow them
never suggested itself--fool that I was!