f
the blood. When that exists no more--to one without hope, for
instance--what is music or beauty? Intrinsically, they are next to
nothing. He argued it out so, and convinced himself of his own delusions,
till his hand, being in the sunlight, gave him a pleasant warmth. "That's
something we all love," he said, glancing at the blue sky above the
roofs. "But there's little enough of it in this climate," he thought,
with an eye upon the darker corners of his room. When he had eaten, he
sent word to his landlady to make up his week's bill. The week was not at
an end, and that good woman appeased before him, astonished, saying: "To
be sure, your habits is regular, but there's little items one I'll guess
at, and how make out a bill, Sir Purcy, and no items?"

He nodded his head.

"The country again?" she asked smilingly.

"I am going down there," he said.

"And beautiful at this time of the year, it is! though, for market
gardening, London beats any country I ever knew; and if you like creature
comforts, I always say, stop in London! And then the policemen! who
really are the greatest comfort of all to us poor women, and seem sent
from above especially to protect our weakness. I do assure you, Sir
Purcy, I feel it, and never knew a right-minded woman that did not. And
how on earth our grandmothers contrived to get about without them! But
there! people who lived before us do seem like the most uncomfortable!
When--my goodness! we come to think there was some lived before tea! Why,
as I say over almost every cup I drink, it ain't to be realized. It seems
almost wicked to say it, Sir Purcy; but it's my opinion there ain't a
Christian woman who's not made more of a Christian through her tea. And a
man who beats his wife my first question is, 'Do he take his tea
regular?' For, depend upon it, that man is not a tea-drinker at all."

He let her talk away, feeling oddly pleased by this mundane chatter, as
was she to pour forth her inmost sentiments to a baronet.

When she said: "Your fire shall be lighted to-night to welcome you," the
man looked up, and was going to request that the trouble might be spared,
but he nodded. His ghost saw the burning fire awaiting him. Or how if it
sparkled merrily, and he beheld it with his human eyes that night? His
beloved would then have touched him with her hand--yea, brought the dead
to life! He jumped to his feet, and dismissed the worthy dame. On both
sides of him, 'Yes,' and 'No,' seemed