Still, as
Mrs. Octagon does not hesitate to strike at me through you,
and as your happiness is at stake, and the happiness of the
girl you love, I shall tell you--so far as I can guess--
why the woman behaves in this way."
"If you please, sir," and Cuthbert settled himself to listen.
"About twenty years ago," said Caranby, plunging headfirst
into his subject, "Isabella and Selina Loach were well-known
in society. They were the daughters of a country squire--
Kent, I remember--and created a sensation with their beauty
when they came to town. I fell in love with Selina, and
Isabella--if you will pardon my vanity--fell in love with
me. She hated her sister on my account. I would have married
Selina, but her father, who was hard up, wished her to marry a
wealthy American. Isabella, to part Selina from me, helped
her father. What arguments they used I do not know, but
Selina suddenly changed in her manner towards me. Out of
pique--you may think this weak of me, Cuthbert, but I was a
fool in those days--I became engaged to a girl who was a
singer. Her name was Emilia Saul, and I believe she was of
Jewish extraction. I liked her in a way, and she had a
wonderful power over me. I proposed and was accepted."
"But if you had really loved Miss Loach--"
"I should have worn the willow. I told you I was foolish,
and, moreover, Miss Saul fascinated me. Selina was cold,
Emilia was charming, and I was weak. Therefore, I became
engaged to Emilia, and Selina--as I heard, arranged to marry
her wealthy American.
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