ns, and philosophies, and the constitution of
kingdoms, and in that of fair romances which promised to stand firm to
all eternity. And now, now, in these last few days,--since laws which
rule the general, also rule the individual life,--it has happened in
respect of you, Helen, to my seeing, and in respect of Naples."--Richard
smiled upon her sadly and very sweetly.--"I am sorry," he said, "yes,
indeed, horribly sorry. It is a bitter thing to see the last of one's
gods go overboard. But there is no remedy. Sorry or not, so it is."

Madame de Vallorbes looked at him keenly. Her attitude was strained.
Her face sombre with thought.

"My God! my God!" she exclaimed, "that I should sit and listen to all
this! And yet you were never more attractive. There is an unnatural
force, unnatural beauty about you. You are ill, Richard. You look and
you speak as a man might who was about to join hands with death."

But Dickie's attention had wandered again. He pulled the velvet drapery
aside somewhat, and gazed down into the crowded house. They lingered
strangely in the performance of their mission, that dull-coloured
multitude of workers!--Just then came another mighty outburst of
applause, cries, _vivas_, the famous soprano's name called aloud. The
sound was stimulating, as the shout of a victorious army. Richard
hailed it as a sign of speedy deliverance, and sank back into his
place.

"Oh yes!" he said civilly and lightly, "I fancy I am pretty bad. I am a
bit sick of this continued delay, you see. I suppose they know their
own business best, but they do seem most infernally slow in getting
under weigh. I was ready hours ago. However, they must be nearly
through with preliminaries now. And when once we're fairly into it, I
shall be all right."

"You mean when the yacht sails?" Madame de Vallorbes asked. Still she
looked at him intently. He turned to her smiling, and she observed that
his eyes had ceased to be as windows opening back on to empty space.
They were luminous with a certain gay content.

"Yes, of course--when the yacht sails, if you like to put it that way,"
he answered.

"And when will that be?"

The shout of the arena grew louder in the recall. It surged up to the
roof and quivered along the lath and plaster partitions of the boxes.

"Very soon now. Immediately, I think, please God," he said.--But why
should she make him speak thus foolishly in riddles? Of a surety she
must read the signs of the approach of th