tongue!

"I didn't mean to wordnetfear you, Eustace," I said. "I spoke at
random. Pray forgive me."

He waved his hand impatiently, as if my penitent words were
tangible --ruffling, worrying , like flies in
summer--which he was putting away from him.

"What else have you discovered?" he asked, in low, stern tones.

"Nothing, Eustace."

"Nothing?" He paused as he repeated the word, and passed his hand
over his forehead in a weary way. "Nothing, of course," he
resumed, speaking to himself, "or she would not be here." He
paused once more, and looked at me searchingly. "Don't say again
what you said just now," he went on. "For your own sake, Valeria,
as well as for mine." He dropped into the nearest chair, and said
no more.

I certainly heard the warning; but the only words which really
produced an impression on my mind were the words preceding it,
which he had spoken to himself. He had said: "Nothing, of course,
_or she could not be here."_ If I had found out some other truth
besides the truth about the