would have let
us all perish, if necessary, rather than consent to relinquish his
study. He might have regretted his indifference afterwards, especially
if he had arrived at no satisfactory conclusion in regard to the unhappy
woman; but in the fervor of scientific speculation, minor considerations
of safety were forgotten. Cutter is not a bad man, though he is
ruthless. He would be incapable of doing any one an injury from a
personal motive, but in comparison with the importance of one of his
theories the life of a man is no more to him than the life of a dog. I
said something of that kind to Balsamides.

"My dear fellow," he answered, "do you expect common sense from people
who waste their lives in such a senseless fashion? Can anything be more
absurd than to attempt to explain the vagaries of a diseased mind? They
call that science in the professor's country. They may as well give it
up. They will never ultimately discover any better treatment for
dangerous lunatics than solid bolts and barred windows."

"I believe you are right," I said. "If we could put medicine into the
head as we can into the stomach, something might be accomplished. It is
very unpleasant to think that I am to entertain a lady at my tea-party
who only the other day tried to murder her son in my sight."

"Very," assented Gregorios. "Here they come."

We heard the sound of voices in the garden, and rose to meet the party
as they came up towards the house. None of them had been to see me
before, except Paul, and they at once launched into extravagant praises
of the view and of the kiosk. Chrysophrasia raved about the sunset
effects, and Hermione was delighted with the way the flags were
arranged. Macaulay consulted his pocket barometer to see how many feet
above the sea the house was built, and declared that the air must be far
more healthy in such a place than on the quay. Madame Patoff looked
silently out at the view, leaning on Alexander's arm, while John Carvel
and his wife stood close together, smiling and appreciative, the ideal
of a well-assorted and perfectly happy middle-aged couple. Cutter
talked to Balsamides, and Paul followed Hermione as she slowly moved
from point to point. I stood alone for a few moments, and looked at
them, going over in my mind all that had happened during the last seven
months, and wondering how it would all end.

These ten people had lived much together, and had found themselves
lately united in some very stra