should understand these things well. There are
reasons why I am very anxious to know how it is he failed to escape."

The _dame de compagnie_ had advanced to the open hall-door. She glanced
rapidly over her shoulder at Miss Haldin, who remained within the hall.

"Failed to escape," she repeated absently. "Didn't he make the sacrifice
of his life? Wasn't he just simply inspired? Wasn't it an act of
abnegation? Aren't you certain?"

"What I am certain of," said Miss Haldin, "is that it was not an act
of despair. Have you not heard some opinion expressed here upon his
miserable capture?"

The _dame de compagnie_ mused for a while in the doorway.

"Did I hear? Of course, everything is discussed here. Has not all the
world been speaking about your brother? For my part, the mere mention
of his achievement plunges me into an envious ecstasy. Why should a man
certain of immortality think of his life at all?"

She kept her back turned to Miss Haldin. Upstairs from behind a great
dingy white and gold door, visible behind the balustrade of the first
floor landing, a deep voice began to drone formally, as if reading over
notes or something of the sort. It paused frequently, and then ceased
altogether.

"I don't think I can stay any longer now," said Miss Haldin. "I may
return another day."

She waited for the _dame de compagnie_ to make room for her exit; but
the woman appeared lost in the contemplation of sunshine and shadows,
sharing between themselves the stillness of the deserted grounds. She
concealed the view of the drive from Miss Haldin. Suddenly she said--

"It will not be necessary; here is Peter Ivanovitch himself coming up.
But he is not alone. He is seldom alone now."

Hearing that Peter Ivanovitch was approaching, Miss Haldin was not so
pleased as she might have been expected to be. Somehow she had lost
the desire to see either the heroic captive or Madame de S--, and the
reason of that shrinking which came upon her at the very last minute is
accounted for by the feeling that those two people had not been treating
the woman with the cat kindly.

"Would you please let me pass?" said Miss Haldin at last, touching
lightly the shoulder of the _dame de compagnie_.

But the other, pressing the cat to her breast, did not budge.

"I know who is with him," she said, without even looking back.

More unaccountably than ever Miss Haldin felt a strong impulse to leave
the house.

"Madame de S-- may be engaged for