it signified something unusual,
something of high vitality. She felt as if it had succeeded some speech
that was exceptional, and that had laid its spell, of joy or sorrow,
upon both their spirits.

And she felt much more afraid, and also much more alone, than she would
have felt had she found them talking.

Presently, as the silence continued, she moved softly back into the
passage. She went down it a little way, then returned, walking briskly
and loudly. In this action her secret violence was at play. When she
came to the room she grasped the door-handle with a force that hurt her
hand. She went in, shut the door sharply behind her, and without any
pause came out upon the terrace.

"Emile!"

"Yes," he said, getting up from his garden-chair quickly.

"Gaspare told me you were here."

"I have been here about half an hour."

She had not given him her hand. She did not give it.

"I didn't hear you talking to Vere, so I wondered--I almost thought--"

"That I had gone without seeing you? Oh no. It isn't very late. You
don't want to get rid of me at once?"

"Of course not."

His manner--or so it seemed to her--was strangely uneasy and formal, and
she thought his face looked drawn, almost tortured. But the light was
very dim. She could not be sure of that.

Vere had said nothing, had not moved from her seat.

There was a third chair. As Hermione took it and drew it slightly
forward, she looked towards Vere, and thought that she was sitting in a
very strange position. In the darkness it seemed to the mother as if
her child's body were almost crouching in its chair, as if the head were
drooping, as if--

"Vere! Is anything the matter with you?"

Suddenly, as if struck sharply, Vere sprang up and passed into
the darkness of the house, leaving a sound that was like a mingled
exclamation and a sob behind her.

"Emile!"

*****

"Emile!"

"Hermione?"

"What is the matter with Vere? What have you been doing to Vere?"

"I!"

"Yes, you! No one else is here."

Hermione's violent, almost furious agitation was audible in her voice.

"I should never wish to hurt Vere--you know that."

His voice sounded as if he were deeply moved.

"I must--Vere! Vere!"

She moved towards the house. But Artois stepped forward swiftly, laid a
hand on her arm, and stopped her.

"No, leave Vere alone to-night."

"Why?"

"She wishes to be alone to-night."

"But I find her here with you."

There was a harsh bittern