and uneasy: he murmured piteously that
she would not come, or that he should die before she came.

Brian, although in the house, held aloof from the injured man's room.
Merciful as he was by nature, Hugo's offences had transcended the bounds
even of his tolerance; and his anger was more implacable than that of a
harsher man. Although he had been told that Hugo was dying, he found it
hard to be pitiful. He knew more than Hugo imagined. Mrs. Luttrell had
recovered speech sufficiently to tell her son the history of the
previous night, and Brian was certain that Kitty's cry for help had come
only just in time.

It was early in the evening when Hugo spoke, almost for the first time
of his own accord, to his wife. "Kitty," he said, imperiously, "come
here."

She came, trembling a little, and stood beside him, scarcely bearing to
meet the gaze of those darkly-burning eyes.

"Kitty," he said, looking at her strangely, "I suppose you hate me."

"No," she answered. "No, indeed, Hugo."

"Is that mark on your forehead from the blow I gave you?"

"Yes."

"I did not mean to hurt you," he said, "but I think I was mad just then.
However, it doesn't matter; I am going to die, and you can be happy in
your own way. I suppose you will marry Vivian?"

"Don't talk so, Hugo," she said, laying her hand upon his brow.

"Why not? I do not care. Better to die than lie here--here, where
Richard Luttrell lay. Kitty, they say I cannot be moved while I live;
but if--if you believe that I ever loved you, see that they carry me out
of this room as soon as I am dead. Promise me that."

"I promise."

"That is all I want. Marry Vivian, and forget me as soon as you please.
He will never love you as much as I did, Kitty. If I had lived, you
would have loved me, too, in time. But it's no use now."

The voice was faint, but sullen. Kitty's heart yearned over him.

"Oh, Hugo," she said, "won't you think of other things? Ask God to
forgive you for what you have done: He will forgive you if you repent:
He will, indeed."

"Don't talk to me of forgiveness," said Hugo, closing his eyes. "No one
forgives: God least of all."

"We forgive you, Hugo," said Kitty, with brimming eyes, "and is God less
merciful than ourselves?"

"I will wait till Angela comes," he answered. "I will listen to her. To
nobody but her."

And then he relapsed into a half-conscious state, from which she dared
not arouse him.

Angela came at night; and she was led almost