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VIVIAN GREY.
45

and Vivian grasped her hand—"What has passed between you and Mr. Cleveland, it is not for me to enquire—I give you my word of honour, that he never even mentioned your name to me. I can scarcely understand how any man could have incurred the deadly hatred which you appear to entertain for him. I repeat, I can contemplate no situation in which you could be placed together, which would justify such behaviour. It could not be justified, even if he had spurned you while——kneeling at his feet."

Mrs. Felix Lorraine shrieked and fainted. A sprinkling from the fairy stream soon recovered her. "Spare me! spare me!" she faintly cried: "do not expose me."

"Mrs. Lorraine, I have no wish. I have spoken thus explicitly, that we may not again misunderstand each other—I have spoken thus explicitly, I say, that I may not be under the necessity of speaking again, for if I speak