T GREEN IN THE ASCENDANT 238

XXV. MOLLY AT COURT 243

XXVI. EDMUND IS NO LONGER BORED 249

XXVII. MOLLY'S APPEAL 256

XXVIII. DINNER AT TWO SHILLINGS 266

XXIX. THE RELIEF OF SPEECH 272

XXX. THE BIRTH OF A SLANDER 280

XXXI. THE NURSING OF A SLANDER 285

BOOK IV

XXXII. ROSE SUMMONED TO LONDON 294

XXXIII. BROWN HOLLAND COVERS 304

XXXIV. THE WRATH OF A FRIEND 312

XXXV. THE CONDEMNATION OF MARK 322

XXXVI. MENE THEKEL PHARES 330

XXXVII. MARK ENTERS INTO TEMPTATION 339

XXXVIII. NO SHADOW OF A CLOUD 350

XXXIX. "WITHOUT CONDITION OR COMPROMISE" 357

GREAT POSSESSIONS

BOOK I

CHAPTER I

THE AMAZING WILL

The memorial service for Sir David Bright was largely attended. Perhaps
he was fortunate in the moment of his death, for other men, whose
military reputations had been as high as his, were to go on with the
struggle while the world wondered at their blunders. It was only the
second of those memorial services for prominent men which were to become
so terribly usual as the winter wore on. Great was the sympathy felt for
the young widow at the loss of one so brave, so kindly, so popular among
all classes.

Lady Rose Bright was quite young and very fair. She did not put on a
widow's distinctive garments because Sir David had told her that he
hated weeds. But she wore a plain, heavy cloak, and a long veil fell
into the folds made by her skirts. The raiment of a gothic angel, an
angel like those in the portico at Rheims, has these same straight,
stern lines. "Black is sometimes as suggestive of white," was the
reflection of one member of the congregation, "as white may be
suggestive of mourning." Sir Edmund Grosse, who had known Rose from her
childhood, felt some new revelation in her movements; there was a fuller
development of womanhood in her walk, and there was a reserve, too, as
of one consecrated and set apart. He heaved a deep sigh as she passed
near him going down the church, and their eyes met. She had no shrinking
in her bearing; her reserves were too deep for her to avoid an open
meeting with other human eyes. She looked at Sir Edmu