nt solitary hours wrapt
in contemplation of the statue whose fame doubtless had brought her to
Elis.

Not so many years ago! But was this the man the husband who had been
with her then, and who had evidently been deeply in love with her?

It seemed to the guardian that there was some puzzling change in the
beautiful woman. As to the man----Still wondering, the guardian took off
his cap politely and uttered a smiling welcome in Greek. Then the
man smiled too, faintly, and still preserving the under-look of deep
gravity, and the guardian knew him. It was indeed the husband, but grown
to look very much older, and different in some almost mysterious way.

The woman made a gesture towards the museum. The guardian bowed, turned
and moved to lead the way through the vestibule into the great room of
the Victory. But the woman spoke behind him and he paused. He did not
understand what she said, but the sound of her voice seemed to plead
with him--or to command him. He looked at her and understood.

She was gazing at him steadily, and her eyes told him not to go before
her, told him to stay where he was.

He nodded his head, slightly pursing his small mouth. She knew the way
of course. How should she not know it?

Gently she came up to him and just touched his coat sleeve--to thank
him. Then she went on slowly with her companion, traversed the room of
the Victory, looking neither to right nor left, crossed the threshold of
the smaller chamber beyond it and disappeared.

For a moment the guardian stood at gaze. Then he went back to his seat,
sat down and sighed. A faint sense of awe had come upon him. He did not
understand it, and he sighed again. Then, pulling himself together, he
felt for a cigarette, lit it and began to smoke, staring at the patch of
sunlight outside, and at the olive tree which grew close to the doorway.

* * * * *

Within the chamber of the Hermes for a long time there was silence.
Rosamund was sitting before the statue. Dion stood near to her, but not
close to her. The eyes of both of them were fixed upon Hermes and the
child. Once again they were greeted by the strange and exquisite hush
which seems, like a divine sentinel, to wait at the threshold of that
shrine in Elis; once again the silence seemed to come out of the marble
and to press softly against their two hearts. But they were changed,
and so the great peace of the Hermes seemed to them subtly changed. They
knew now the full meaning of to