as the door closed behind her, broke into a run like the soft
flight of a bird, and fell on her knees beside the bed. She had taken
off her hat and cloak. Excitement had kindled two spots of red in her
pale cheeks. The man in the bed turned his eyes towards her, and smiled.

'Nelly!'

Howson and the Sister went on tiptoe through a side door into another
room.

'Kiss me, Nelly!'

Nelly, trembling, put her soft lips to his. But as she did so, a chill
anguish struck her--the first bitterness of the naked truth. As yet she
had only seen it through a veil, darkly. Was this her George--this
ghost, grey-haired, worn out, on the brink of the unknown? The old
passionate pressure of the mouth gone--for ever! Her young husband--her
young lover--she saw him far back in the past, on Rydal lake, the
dripping oars in his hand. This was a spirit which touched her--a
spiritual love which shone upon her. And she had never yet known so
sharp an agony.

So sharp it was that it dried all tears. She knelt there with his hands
in hers, kissing them, and gazing at him.

'Nelly, it's hard luck! Darling, I'd better have been patient. In time,
perhaps, I should have come back to you. How I got away--who planned
it--I don't remember. I remember nothing--of all that time. But Howson
has heard something, through some people near Cassel--has he told you?'

'Yes--but don't try to remember.'

He smiled at her. How strange the old sweetness on these grey lips!

'Have you missed me--dreadfully? Poor little Nelly! You're very pale--a
little shadow! Darling!--I _would_ like to live!'

And at that--at last--the eyes of both, as they gazed at each other,
filled with tears. Tears for the eternal helplessness of man,--the
'tears of things.'

But he roused himself, snatching still at a little love, a little
brightness--before the dark. The strychnine injected had given him
strength.

'Give me that jelly--and the champagne. Feed me, Nelly! But have you had
any food?'

The stress laid on the '_you_' the tone of his voice, were so like his
old self that Nelly caught her breath. A ray of mad hope stole in. She
began to feed him, and as she did so, the Sister, as though she had
heard Sarratt's question, came quietly in with a tray on which was some
food for Nelly, and put it down beside her. Then she disappeared again.

With difficulty, Sarratt swallowed a few mouthfuls of jelly and
champagne. Then his left hand--the right was helpless--made a fai