have none. I know it. If I could take your
share of the burden, how gladly I'd do so! If I could take your
suffering upon myself, you shouldn't be unhappy for another minute. But
that is another impossible thing. People who are fortunate in life may
ask each day what they _can_ do; we have always to remind ourselves
what we _can't_.'

'You take a pleasure in repeating such things; it shows how little you
feel them.'

'It shows how I have taken to heart the truth of them.'

She waved her hand impatiently, again sighed, and moved towards the
door.

'Don't go just yet,' said Sidney. 'We have more to say to each other.'

'I have nothing more to say. I am miserable, and you can't help me.'

'I can, Clara.'

She looked at him with wondering, estranged eyes. 'How? What are you
going to do?'

'Only speak to you, that's all. I have nothing to give but words. But--'

She would have left him. Sidney stepped forward and prevented her.

'No; you _must_ hear what I have got to say. They may be only words,
but if I have no power to move you with my words, then our life has
come to utter ruin, and I don't know what dreadful things lie before
us.'

'I can say the same,' she replied, in a despairing tone.

'But neither you nor I shall say it! As long as I have strength to
speak, I won't consent to say that Clara, you must put your hand in
mine, and think of your life and mine as one. If not for my sake, then
for your child's. Think; do you wish May to suffer for the faults of
her parents?'

'I wish she had never been born!'

'And yet you were the happier for her birth. It's only these last six
months that you have fallen again into misery. You indulge it, and it
grows worse, harder to resist. You may say that life seems to grow
worse. Perhaps so. This affair of Amy's has been a heavy blow, and we
shall miss the little money she brought; goodness knows when another
place will be found for her. But all the more reason why we should help
each other to struggle. Perhaps just this year or two will be our
hardest time. If Amy and Annie and Tom were once all earning something,
the worst would be over--wouldn't it? And can't we find strength to
hold out a little longer, just to give the children a start in life,
just to make your father's last years a bit happier? If we manage it,
shan't we feel glad in looking back? Won't it be something worth having
lived for?'

He paused, but Clara had no word for him.

'There's Amy. She