ance. But she remained with it in her hand looking at me as though
she were piously gloating over something she could read in my face.

"Oh, that Rita, that Rita," she murmured. "And you, too! Why are you
trying, you, too, like the others, to stand between her and the mercy of
God? What's the good of all this to you? And you such a nice, dear,
young gentleman. For no earthly good only making all the kind saints in
heaven angry, and our mother ashamed in her place amongst the blessed."

"Mademoiselle Therese," I said, "_vous etes folle_."

I believed she was crazy. She was cunning, too. I added an imperious:
"_Allez_," and with a strange docility she glided out without another
word. All I had to do then was to get dressed and wait till eleven
o'clock.

The hour struck at last. If I could have plunged into a light wave and
been transported instantaneously to Dona Rita's door it would no doubt
have saved me an infinity of pangs too complex for analysis; but as this
was impossible I elected to walk from end to end of that long way. My
emotions and sensations were childlike and chaotic inasmuch that they
were very intense and primitive, and that I lay very helpless in their
unrelaxing grasp. If one could have kept a record of one's physical
sensations it would have been a fine collection of absurdities and
contradictions. Hardly touching the ground and yet leaden-footed; with a
sinking heart and an excited brain; hot and trembling with a secret
faintness, and yet as firm as a rock and with a sort of indifference to
it all, I did reach the door which was frightfully like any other
commonplace door, but at the same time had a fateful character: a few
planks put together--and an awful symbol; not to be approached without
awe--and yet coming open in the ordinary way to the ring of the bell.

It came open. Oh, yes, very much as usual. But in the ordinary course
of events the first sight in the hall should have been the back of the
ubiquitous, busy, silent maid hurrying off and already distant. But not
at all! She actually waited for me to enter. I was extremely taken
aback and I believe spoke to her for the first time in my life.

"_Bonjour_, Rose."

She dropped her dark eyelids over those eyes that ought to have been
lustrous but were not, as if somebody had breathed on them the first
thing in the morning. She was a girl without smiles. She shut the door
after me, and not only did that but in the incred