the hotel."

She was smiling through her tears, and very soon she became her stately
self again.

Michael went at once to Ararat House, and told Lily that he had promised
his mother to put off their marriage for three months. She pouted over
her frocks.

"I wish you'd settled that before. What good will all these dresses be
now?"

"You shall have as many more as you want. But will you be happy here
without me?"

"Without you? Why are you going away?"

"Because I must, Lily. Because ... oh, dearest girl, can't you see that
I'm too passionately in love with you to be able to see you every day
and every night as I have been all this fortnight?"

"If you want to go away, of course you must; but I shall be rather dull,
shan't I?"

"And shan't I?" he asked.

She looked at him.

"Perhaps."

"I shall write every day to you, and you must write to me."

He held her close and kissed her. Then he hurried away.

Now that he had made the sacrifice to please his mother, he was angry
with himself for having done so. He felt that during this coming time of
trial he could not bear to see either his mother or Stella. He must be
married and fulfill his destiny, and, after that, all would be well. He
was enraged with his weakness, wondering where he could go to avoid the
people who had brought it about.

Suddenly Michael thought he would like to see Clere Abbey again, and he
turned into Paddington Station to find out if there were a train that
would take him down into Berkshire at once.

CHAPTER VIII

SEEDS OF POMEGRANATE

It was almost dark when Michael reached the little station at the foot
of the Downs. He was half inclined to put up at the village inn and
arrive at the Abbey in the morning; but he was feeling depressed by the
alteration of his plans, and longed to withdraw immediately into the
monastic peace. He had bought what he needed for the couple of nights
before any luggage could reach him, and he thought that with so little
to carry he might as well walk the six miles to the Abbey. He asked when
the moon would be up.

"Oh, not much before half-past nine, sir," the porter said.

Michael suddenly remembered that to-morrow was Easter Sunday, and,
thinking it would be as well not to arrive too late, in case there
should be a number of guests, he managed to get hold of a cart. The wind
blew very freshly as they slowly climbed the Downs, and the man who was
driving him was very voluble on the subject