oo, when
they've no children. If poor Mabel had done _something_ it would have
been far better. But in your case it's disastrous."

Jane remained silent. She herself had a premonition of disaster. Her
restlessness was on her. Her nerves and blood were troubled again by the
ungovernable, tyrannous impulse of her power. It was not the year she
should have chosen, but because she had no choice she was working
through everything, secretly, in defiance of Henry's orders. She
wondered if he knew. He was looking at her keenly, as if he had at any
rate a shrewd suspicion.

"I hardly think," he said, "it's fair to Hugh."

Henry was sure of his facts, and her silence made him surer. She _was_
at it again, and the question was how to stop her?

The question was laid that night before the family committee. It met in
the library at Moor Grange almost by Brodrick's invitation. Brodrick was
worried. He had gone so far as to confess that he was worried about
Jane. She wanted to write another book, he said, and he didn't know
whether she was fit.

"Of course she isn't fit," said the Doctor. "It must be stopped. She
must be made to give it up--altogether."

Brodrick inquired who was to make her? and was told that _he_ was. He
must put his foot down. He should have put it down before.

But Brodrick, being a Brodrick, took an unexpected line.

"I don't know," he said slowly, "that we've any right to dictate to her.
It's a big question, and I think she ought to be allowed to decide it
for herself."

"She isn't fit," said Henry, "to decide anything for herself."

Brodrick sent a level look at him.

"You talk," said he, "as if she wasn't responsible."

"I should be very sorry to say who is and who isn't. Responsibility is a
question of degree. I say Jane is not at the present moment in a state
to decide."

"It sounds," said Brodrick, laughing in his bitterness, "very much as if
you thought she wasn't sane. Of course I know she'd put a cheque for a
hundred pounds into a drawer and forget all about it. But it would be
more proof of insanity in Jinny if she remembered it was there."

"It would indeed," said Sophy.

"We're not discussing Jinny's talent for finance," said Henry.

"I suppose," said Brodrick, "what we _are_ discussing is her genius?"

"I'm not saying anything at all about her genius. We've every reason to
recognize her genius and be proud of it. It's not a question of her
mind. It's a question of a definite bodi