I wish, however, to add a
few words to make your delusion yet more clear to you----'

It was plain that, after these renounced beginnings, a fourth letter had
been written and despatched, which had been deemed a proper one. Upon
the table were two drops of sealing-wax, the stick from which they were
taken having been laid down overhanging the edge of the table; the end
of it drooped, showing that the wax was placed there whilst warm.
There was the chair in which the writer had sat, the impression of the
letter's address upon the blotting-paper, and the poor widow who had
caused these results lying dead hard by. Knight had seen enough to
lead him to the conclusion that Mrs. Jethway, having matter of great
importance to communicate to some friend or acquaintance, had written
him a very careful letter, and gone herself to post it; that she had not
returned to the house from that time of leaving it till Lord Luxellian
and himself had brought her back dead.

The unutterable melancholy of the whole scene, as he waited on, silent
and alone, did not altogether clash with the mood of Knight, even though
he was the affianced of a fair and winning girl, and though so lately he
had been in her company. Whilst sitting on the remains of the demolished
tower he had defined a new sensation; that the lengthened course of
inaction he had lately been indulging in on Elfride's account might
probably not be good for him as a man who had work to do. It could
quickly be put an end to by hastening on his marriage with her.

Knight, in his own opinion, was one who had missed his mark by excessive
aiming. Having now, to a great extent, given up ideal ambitions, he
wished earnestly to direct his powers into a more practical channel,
and thus correct the introspective tendencies which had never brought
himself much happiness, or done his fellow-creatures any great good.
To make a start in this new direction by marriage, which, since knowing
Elfride, had been so entrancing an idea, was less exquisite to-night.
That the curtailment of his illusion regarding her had something to do
with the reaction, and with the return of his old sentiments on wasting
time, is more than probable. Though Knight's heart had so greatly
mastered him, the mastery was not so complete as to be easily maintained
in the face of a moderate intellectual revival.

His reverie was broken by the sound of wheels, and a horse's tramp.
The door opened to admit the surgeon, Lo