an extremity, but I
can't fancy that this is right."

Lucy went home still in the same strange excitement of mind. All had
been executed that was in her programme. She had gone through it without
flinching. The ball--that strange, frivolous-tragic effort of
despair--it was over, thank heaven! and Bice had got full justice in
her--was it in her--father's house? She could not have been introduced
to greater advantage, Lucy thought, with a certain forlorn, simple
pride, had she been Sir Tom's acknowledged daughter. Oh, not to so much
advantage! for the Contessa, her guardian, her----was far more skilful
than Lucy ever could have been. Bice had got her triumph; nothing had
been neglected. And the other business was in train--the disposing of
the money. She had made her wishes fully known, and even taken great
trouble, calculating and transcribing to prevent any possibility of a
mistake. And now, now the moment had come, the crisis of life when she
must tell her husband what she had heard, and say to him that this
existence could not go on any longer. A man could not have two lives.
She did not mean to upbraid him. What good would it do to upbraid? none,
none at all; that would not make things as they were again, or return
to her him whom she had lost. She had not a word to say to him, except
that it was impossible--that it could not go on any more.

To think that she should have this to say to him made everything dark
about her as Lucy went home. She felt as if the world must come to an
end to-night. All was straightforward, now that the need of
self-restraint was over. She contemplated no delay or withdrawal from
her position. She went in to accomplish this dark and miserable
necessity like a martyr going to the cross. She would go and see baby
first, who was his boy as well as hers. Sir Tom no doubt would be in his
library, and would come out for luncheon after a while, but not until
she had spoken. But first she would go, just for a little needful
strength, and kiss her boy.

Fletcher met her at the head of the stairs.

"Oh, if you please, my lady--not to hurry you or frighten you--but nurse
says please would you step in and look at baby."

Suddenly, in a moment, Lucy's whole being changed. She forgot
everything. Her languor disappeared and her fatigue. She sprang up to
where the woman was standing. "What is it? is he ill? Is it the old----"
She hurried along towards the nursery as she spoke.

"No, my lady, nothin