us of the fact that his
mother had known and had lived alone with her knowledge for years.

He offered himself for service in South Africa with the City Imperial
Volunteers. The doctor passed him. He was informed that he would be
sworn in at the Guildhall on 4th January. The great step was taken.

Why had he taken it without telling Rosamund he was going to take it?

As he came out into the dark winter evening he wondered about that
almost vaguely. He must have had a driving reason, but now he did not
know what it was. How was Rosamund going to take it? Suddenly he felt
guilty, as if he had done her a wrong. They were one flesh, and in such
a vital matter he had not consulted her. Wasn't it abominable?

As soon as he was free he went straight home.

This time, as he walked homeward, Dion held no intercourse with
Westminster. If he heard the chimes, the voices, the footfalls, he was
not conscious of hearing them; if he saw the vapors from the river,
the wreaths of smoke from the chimneys, the lights gleaming in the near
houses and far away across the dark mystery of the water, he did not
know that he saw them. In himself he was imprisoned, and against the
great city in which he walked he had shut the doors.

He arrived at his house and put his hand in his pocket to get his
latch-key. Before he was able to draw it forth the green door was opened
and Beatrice came out.

"Dion!" she said, startled.

"You nearly ran over me!"

"What is it?" she asked. "What have you done?"

"But--"

"I know!" she interrupted.

She put out her hand and took hold of his coat sleeve. The action was
startlingly impulsive in Beatrice, who was always so almost plaintive,
so restrained, so dim.

"But you can't!"

"I do. You are going to South Africa."

He said nothing. How could he tell Beatrice before he told Rosamund?

"When are you going?"

"Is Rosamund in the house, Beattie?" he asked, very gently.

Beatrice flushed deeply, painfully, and took her hand from his sleeve.

"Yes. I've been playing with Robin, building castles with the new
bricks. Good-by, Dion."

She went past him and down the small street rather quickly. He stood for
a moment looking after her; then he turned into the house. As he shut
the door he heard a chord struck on the piano upstairs in Rosamund's
sitting-room. He took off his coat and hat and came into the little
hall. As he did so he heard Rosamund's voice beginning to sing Brahms's
"Wiegenlied" v