back to him and stood looking at the fire again.

"Yes, there are some things that I did that can be accounted for only by
an intense aversion."

She said this so naturally that in spite of a certain theory that was
touched upon a few pages back, Bernard was a good deal bewildered. He
rose from the sofa where he had been lounging and went and stood beside
her a moment. Then he passed his arm round her waist and murmured an
almost timorous--

"Really?"

"I don't know what you are trying to make me say!" she answered.

He looked down at her for a moment as he held her close to him.

"I don't see, after all, why I should wish to make you say it. It would
only make my remorse more acute."

She was musing, with her eyes on the fire, and for a moment she made no
answer; then, as if her attention were returning--

"Are you still talking about your remorse?" she asked.

"You see I put it very strongly."

"That I was a horrid creature?"

"That you were not a woman to marry."

"Ah, my poor Bernard," said Angela, "I can't attempt to prove to you
that you are not inconsistent!"

The month of September drew to a close, and she consented to fix a day
for their wedding. The last of October was the moment selected, and the
selection was almost all that was wanting to Bernard's happiness. I say
"almost," for there was a solitary spot in his consciousness which felt
numb and dead--unpervaded by the joy with which the rest of his spirit
seemed to thrill and tingle. The removal of this hard grain in the sweet
savour of life was needed to complete his felicity. Bernard felt that he
had made the necessary excision when, at the end of the month, he
wrote to Gordon Wright of his engagement. He had been putting off
the performance of this duty from day to day--it seemed so hard to
accomplish it gracefully. He did it at the end very briefly; it struck
him that this was the best way. Three days after he had sent his letter
there arrived one from Gordon himself, informing Bernard that he had
suddenly determined to bring Blanche to Europe. She was not well, and
they would lose no time. They were to sail within a week after his
writing. The letter contained a postscript--"Captain Lovelock comes with
us."

CHAPTER XXIV

Bernard prepared for Gordon's arrival in Paris, which, according to his
letter, would take place in a few days. He was not intending to stop in
England; Blanche desired to proceed immediately to the French