As silently as usual they walked home from church, and she would at once
have gone up-stairs, but he said, in a low, hoarse voice, as her foot
was on the step, 'May I speak to you?'

She turned. It was so strangely like that former occasion that she had a
curious bewildered feeling of having passed through the same before; and
perhaps she had, in her dreams. Scarcely conscious, she walked towards
the fire.

'Can you forgive me?' said the same husky voice.

She raised her eyes to his face. 'Oh, Percy!'--but she could say no
more, cut short by rising sobs; and she could only hide her face, and
burst into tears.

He was perfectly overwhelmed. 'Theodora, dearest! do not! I have been
too hasty,' he exclaimed, almost beside himself with distress, and
calling her by every affectionate name.

'Never mind! It is only because I have become such a poor creature!'
said she, looking up with a smile, lost the next moment in the
uncontrollable weeping.

'It is my fault!--my want of consideration! I will go--I will call Mrs.
Martindale.'

'No, no, don't, don't go!' said Theodora, eagerly--her tears driven
back. 'It was only that I am so foolish now.'

'It was very wrong to be so abrupt--'

'No! Oh! it was the relief!' said Theodora, throwing off her shawl, as
if to free herself from oppression. Percy took it from her, placed her
in the arm-chair, and rendered her all the little attentions in his
power with a sort of trembling eagerness, still silent; for she was very
much exhausted,--not so much from present agitation as from the previous
strain on mind and body.

It seemed to give a softness and tenderness to their reunion, such
as there never had been between them before, as she leant back on the
cushions he placed for her, and gazed up in his face as he stood by her,
while she rested, as if unwilling to disturb the peace and tranquillity.

At last she said, 'Did I hear you say you had forgiven me?'

'I asked if you could forgive me?'

'I!' she exclaimed, rousing herself and sitting up,--'I have nothing to
forgive! What are you thinking of?'

'And is it thus you overlook the presumption and harshness that--'

'Hush!' said Theodora; 'I was unbearable. No man of sense or spirit
could be expected to endure such treatment. But, Percy, I have been very
unhappy about it, and I do hope I am tamer at last, if you will try me
again.'

'Theodora!' cried Percy, hardly knowing what he said. 'Can you mean it?
After all that