' The lost wretch
had been thinking of her Play to the last, and had begun it all
over again!
CHAPTER XXVII
Henry returned to his room.
His first impulse was to throw aside the manuscript, and never to look
at it again. The one chance of relieving his mind from the dreadful
uncertainty that oppressed it, by obtaining positive evidence
of the truth, was a chance annihilated by the Countess's death.
What good purpose could be served, what relief could he anticipate,
if he read more?
He walked up and down the room. After an interval, his thoughts
took a new direction; the question of the manuscript presented
itself under another point of view. Thus far, his reading
had only informed him that the conspiracy had been planned.
How did he know that the plan had been put in execution?
The manuscript lay just before him on the floor. He hesitated;
then picked it up; and, returning to the table, read on as follows,
from the point at which he had left off.
'While the Countess is still absorbed in the bold yet simple combination
of circumstances which she has discovered, the Baron returns.
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