ike with me," says he,
"only don't think----" He stopped again. "Do what you please with me:
God knows I love and honour you." And dropping our two hands, he turned
his back and went and gazed out of the window. But my lady ran after,
calling his name, and threw herself upon his neck in a passion of
weeping.

I went out and shut the door behind me, and stood and thanked God from
the bottom of my heart.

* * * * *

At the breakfast-board, according to my lord's design, we were all met.
The Master had by that time plucked off his patched boots and made a
toilet suitable to the hour; Secundra Dass was no longer bundled up in
wrappers, but wore a decent plain black suit, which misbecame him
strangely; and the pair were at the great window, looking forth, when
the family entered. They turned; and the black man (as they had already
named him in the house) bowed almost to his knees, but the Master was
for running forward like one of the family. My lady stopped him,
curtsying low from the far end of the hall, and keeping her children at
her back. My lord was a little in front: so there were the three cousins
of Durrisdeer face to face. The hand of time was very legible on all; I
seemed to read in their changed faces a _memento mori_; and what
affected me still more, it was the wicked man that bore his years the
handsomest. My lady was quite transfigured into the matron, a becoming
woman for the head of a great tableful of children and dependants. My
lord was grown slack in his limbs; he stooped; he walked with a running
motion, as though he had learned again from Mr. Alexander; his face was
drawn; it seemed a trifle longer than of old; and it wore at times a
smile very singularly mingled, and which (in my eyes) appeared both
bitter and pathetic. But the Master still bore himself erect, although
perhaps with effort; his brow barred about the centre with imperious
lines, his mouth set as for command. He had all the gravity and
something of the splendour of Satan in the "Paradise Lost." I could not
help but see the man with admiration, and was only surprised that I saw
him with so little fear.

But indeed (as long as we were at the table) it seemed as if his
authority were quite vanished and his teeth all drawn. We had known him
a magician that controlled the elements; and here he was, transformed
into an ordinary gentleman, chatting like his neighbours at the
breakfast-board. For now the father