it like things
enclosed within a golden globe. She forgot all the days of nursing and
discomfort and pity behind her, all the duties and ceremonies before
her, forgot all the details and circumstances of life in this one
luminous realization. She was free at last. She was a free woman.

Never more would he make a sound or lift a finger against her life,
never more would he contradict her or flout her; never more would he
come peeping through that papered panel between his room and hers, never
more could hateful and humiliating demands be made upon her as his
right; no more strange distresses of the body nor raw discomfort of the
nerves could trouble her--for ever. And no more detectives, no more
suspicions, no more accusations. That last blow he had meant to aim was
frozen before it could strike her. And she would have the Hostels in her
hands, secure and undisputed, she could deal as she liked with Mrs.
Pembrose, take such advisers as she pleased.... She was free.

She found herself planning the regeneration of those difficult and
disputed hostels, plans that were all coloured by the sun and sky of
Italy. The manacles had gone; her hands were free. She would make this
her supreme occupation. She had learnt her lesson now she felt, she knew
something of the mingling of control and affectionate regard that was
needed to weld the warring uneasy units of her new community. And she
could do it, now as she was and unencumbered, she knew this power was
in her. When everything seemed lost to her, suddenly it was all back in
her hands....

She discovered the golden serenity of her mind with a sudden
astonishment and horror. She was amazed and shocked that she should be
glad. She struggled against it and sought to subdue her spirit to a
becoming grief. One should be sorrowful at death in any case, one should
be grieved. She tried to think of Sir Isaac with affection, to recall
touching generosities, to remember kind things and tender and sweet
things and she could not do so. Nothing would come back but the white
intensities of his face, nothing but his hatred, his suspicion and his
pitiless mean mastery. From which she was freed.

She could not feel sorry. She did her utmost to feel sorry; presently
when she went back into the dependance, she had to check her feet to a
regretful pace; she dreaded the eyes of the hotel visitors she passed in
the garden lest they should detect the liberation of her soul. But the
hotel visitors