n life is done.

'Old age,' she added; 'that seems very far off.'

'Each day is a step,' he answered, and then came a silence while both
were thinking deeply.

They sat down to rest under a tree, the mountains before them with heavy
dark clouds hanging on their sides, and the white crowns clear against
the blue sky, a perfect stillness on all around, and the red glow of an
Italian sunset just fading away.

'There is only one thing wanting,' said Amy. 'You may sing now. You are
far from Philip's hearing. Suppose we chant this afternoon's psalms.'

It was the fifth day of the month, and the psalms seemed especially
suitable to their thoughts. Before the 29th was finished, it was
beginning to grow dark. There were a few pale flashes of lightning
in the mountains, and at the words 'The voice of the Lord shaketh the
wilderness,' a low but solemn peal of thunder came as an accompaniment.

'The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.'

The full sweet melody died away, but the echo caught it up and answered
like the chant of a spirit in the distance--'The blessing of peace.'

The effect was too solemn and mysterious to be disturbed by word or
remark. Guy drew her arm into his, and they turned homewards.

They had some distance to walk, and night had closed in before they
reached the village, but was only more lovely. The thunder rolled
solemnly among the hills, but the young moon shone in marvellous
whiteness on the snowy crowns, casting fantastic shadows from the crags,
while whole showers of fire-flies were falling on them from the trees,
floating and glancing in the shade.

'It is a pity to go in,' said Amy. But Arnaud did not seem to be of the
same opinion: he came out to meet them very anxiously, expostulating on
the dangers of the autumnal dew; and Guy owned that though it had been
the most wonderful and delightful evening he had ever known, he was
rather fatigued.

CHAPTER 33

From darkness here and dreariness,
We ask not full repose.
--CHRISTIAN YEAR

It seemed as if the fatigue which Guy had undergone was going to make
itself felt at last, for he had a slight headache the next morning, and
seemed dull and weary. Both he and Amabel sat for some time with Philip,
and when she went away to write her letters, Philip began discussing
a plan which had occurred to him of offering himself as chief of the
constabulary force in the county where Redclyffe was s