ing nearer to him, tears on
her cheeks. 'I must hear from you, and I will write.'

'I can ask no more than that.'

He took her hands, held them for a moment, and turned away. At the door
he looked round. Sidwell's head was bowed, and, on her raising it, he
saw that she was blinded with tears.

So he went forth.

Part VI

CHAPTER I

For several days after the scene in which Mr. Malkin unconsciously
played an important part, Marcella seemed to be ill. She appeared at
meals, but neither ate nor conversed. Christian had never known her so
sullen and nervously irritable; he did not venture to utter Peak's
name. Upon seclusion followed restless activity. Marcella was rarely at
home between breakfast and dinner-time, and her brother learnt with
satisfaction that she went much among her acquaintances. Late one
evening, when he had just returned from he knew not where, Christian
tried to put an end to the unnatural constraint between them. After
talking cheerfully for a few minutes, he risked the question:

'Have you seen anything of the Warricombes?'

She replied with a cold negative.

'Nor heard anything?'

'No. Have you?'

'Nothing at all. I have seen Earwaker. Malkin had told him about what
happened here the other day.'

'Of course.'

'But he had no news.--Of Peak, I mean.'

Marcella smiled, as if the situation amused her; but she would not
discuss it. Christian began to hope that she was training herself to a
wholesome indifference.

A month of the new year went by, and Peak seemed to be forgotten.
Marcella had returned to her studious habits, was fenced around with
books, seldom left the house. Another month and the brother and sister
were living very much in the old way, seeing few people, conversing
only of intellectual things. But Christian concealed an expectation
which enabled him to pass hours of retirement in the completest
idleness. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Palmer had been living
abroad. Before the end of March, as he had been careful to discover,
she would be back in London, at the house in Sussex Square. By that
time he might venture, without indelicacy, to call upon her. And after
the first interview----

The day came, when, ill with agitation, he set forth to pay this call.
For two or three nights he had scarcely closed his eyes; he looked
ghastly. The weather was execrable, and on that very account he made
choice of this afternoon, hoping that he might find his wi