she had left it, save that Camp
stood on the tiger-skin before the fire, his fore-paws and his great,
grinning muzzle resting on the arm of Richard's chair. Camp whined a
little. Mechanically the young man raised his hand and pulled the dog's
long, drooping ears. His face was still dead white, and there were
lines under his eyes and about the corners of his mouth, as of one who
tries to subdue expression of physical pain. He looked straight at Lady
Calmady.

"Ah!" he said, "so you have come back! You observe I have changed
partners!"

And again he pulled the dog's ears, while it appeared to his listener
that his voice curiously echoed that other voice which had so lately
addressed and dismissed her, taking on inflections of mockery. But as
she nerved herself to answer, he continued, hastily:--

"I want nothing, dear mother, nothing in the world. Pray don't concern
yourself any more about me to-night. Haven't I Camp for company? Lamps?
Oh! I can put them out perfectly well myself. You were right, of
course, perfectly right, to come if you were anxious about me. But now
surely you are satisfied?"

Suddenly Richard bowed his head, putting both hands over his eyes.

"Only now, mother, if you love me, go," he said, with a great sob in
his voice. "For God's sake go, and leave me to myself."

But after sleepless hours, in the melancholy, blear dawn of the
November day, Katherine lying, face downwards, within the shelter of
the embroidered curtains of the state bed, made her submission at last
and prayed.

"I am helpless, oh, Father Almighty! I have neither wit nor
understanding, nor strength. Have mercy, lest my reason depart from me.
I have sinned, for years I have sinned, setting my will, my judgment,
my righteousness against Thine. Take me, forgive me, teach me. I bring
nothing. I ask everything. I am empty. Fill me with Thyself, even as
with water one fills an empty cup. Give me the courage of patience
instead of the courage of battle. Give me the courage of meekness in
place of the courage of pride."

BOOK IV

A SLIP BETWIXT CUP AND LIP

CHAPTER I

LADY LOUISA BARKING TRACES THE FINGER OF PROVIDENCE

The spirit of unrest, which had entered Brockhurst in the dim October
weather, along with certain guests, did not--Lady Calmady had foreseen
as much--leave with their leaving. It remained a constant quantity.
Further, it engendered events very far away from and, at first sight,
wholly at varianc