Appleslocombe and read himself in, as the phrase goes, as rector
and pastor of the parish? He thought of this as he lay in his bed,
and acknowledged to himself that his own audacity would probably be
insufficient to carry him through such a struggle. But still on the
morning when he rose he had not altogether rejected the idea. The
young man had scorned him and had insulted him, and was hateful to
him. But still why should he be the Macbeth, seeing that the Lady
Macbeth of the occasion was untrue to him? In all this he was unaware
how very little his Lady Macbeth had really meant when she had
allowed herself in his presence to express wishes as to her stepson's
death.

He thought he saw his plan. The weapon was there ready to his
hand;--a weapon which he had not bought, which could not be traced
to him, which would certainly be fatal if used with the assurance of
which he was confident. And there would be ample time for retreat.
But still as he arranged it all in his mind he regarded it all not as
a thing fixed, but as a thing which was barely possible. It was thus
that it might be done, had the Lady Macbeth of the occasion really
shown herself competent to such a task. Why should he trouble himself
on such a matter? Why should he file his mind for Banquo's issue?
Yet he looked at the pistol and at the window as he prepared to go
up to her ladyship's room before lunch on the Wednesday morning. It
certainly could be done, he said to himself, telling himself at the
same time that all that had been passing in his own mind was no more
than a vague speculation. A man is apt to speculate on things which
have no reality to him, till they become real.

He had assumed the practice of going to her ladyship's sitting-room
up-stairs without a special summons, latterly to her ladyship's great
disgust. When her quarrel had first become strong with Lady Frances
she had no doubt received comfort from his support. But now she had
become weary of him, and had sometimes been almost dismayed by the
words he spoke to her. At half-past twelve punctually she went down
to her husband's room, and it was now customary with the chaplain to
visit her before she did so. She had more than once almost resolved
to tell him that she preferred to be left alone during the morning.
But she had not as yet assumed the courage to do this. She was
aware that words had fallen from her in her anger which it was
possible he might use against her, were she to s