robable
causes. But it was not in human nature that he should be either to-day.
He resumed his questioning, not without sharpness.

"One word, please. Tell me something of what has happened since
Thursday, before I see her. I have written--but till this morning I have
had not one line from her."

They were standing by the window, he with his frowning gaze, in which
agitation struggled against all his normal habits of manner and
expression, fixed upon the lawn and the avenue. She told him briefly
what she knew of Marcella's doings since the arrival of Wharton's
telegram--of the night in the cottage, and the child's death. It was
plain that he listened with a shuddering repulsion.

"Do you know," he exclaimed, turning upon her, "that she may never
recover this? Such a strain, such a horror! rushed upon so wantonly, so
needlessly."

"I understand. You think that I have been to blame? I do not wonder. But
it is not true--not in this particular case. And anyway your view is not
mine. Life--and the iron of it--has to be faced, even by women--perhaps,
most of all, by women. But let me go now. Otherwise my husband will come
in. And I imagine you would rather see Marcella before you see him or
any one."

That suggestion told. He instantly gathered himself together, and
nervously begged that she would send Marcella to him at once. He could
think of nothing, talk of nothing, till he had seen her. She went, and
Aldous was left to walk up and down the room planning what he should
say. After the ghastly intermingling of public interests and private
misery in which he had lived for these many weeks there was a certain
relief in having reached the cleared space--the decisive moment--when he
might at last give himself wholly to what truly concerned him. He would
not lose her without a struggle. None the less he knew, and had known
ever since the scene in the Court library, that the great disaster of
his life was upon him.

The handle of the door turned. She was there.

He did not go to meet her. She had come in wrought up to face
attack--reproaches, entreaties--ready to be angry or to be humble, as he
should give her the lead. But he gave her no lead. She had to break
through that quivering silence as best she could.

"I wanted to explain everything to you," she said in a low voice, as she
came near to him. "I know my note last night was very hard and abrupt. I
didn't mean to be hard. But I am still so tired--and everything th