grè.
'
'
I
will
meet
him
,
'
the
other
answered
,
'
and
that
shortly
.
But
not
in
that
house
.
'
'
Good
,
'
grunted
Hirsch
;
and
the
two
men
fell
to
smoking
silently
.
ALL
A
MISTAKE
IT
took
Richard
Ferrier
just
three
months
to
decide
what
course
his
future
life
should
take
.
He
was
too
old
for
the
Army
or
Civil
Service
.
The
Church
was
equally
out
of
the
question
,
for
a
reason
equally
potent
.
Need
we
say
that
his
first
idea
had
been
to
earn
his
living
by
literature
?
In
these
days
of
extended
education
and
cheap
stationery
,
it
always
is
the
very
first
idea
of
any
one
whose
ordinary
source
of
income
is
suddenly
cut
short
.
Richard
had
always
felt
at
college
that
he
had
a
decided
faculty
for
writing
;
but
an
uninterrupted
stream
of
returned
MS.
,
'
declined
,
with
thanks
'
by
all
sorts
and
conditions
of
editors
,
convinced
him
in
less
than
three
months
that
,
if
writing
indeed
were
his
vocation
,
it
was
one
that
he
must
forego
until
he
could
pay
for
the
publishing
of
his
own
works
,
which
was
not
exactly
the
view
he
had
in
wishing
to
adopt
it
.
He
had
no
interest
in
the
law
,
and
he
knew
well
enough
that
he
had
not
talent
to
enable
him
to
dispense
with
interest
.
Besides
,
his
leanings
had
never
been
that
way
.
The
medical
profession
inspired
him
with
far
more
interest
.
His
favourite
study
had
always
been
biology
.
He
had
enough
money
to
live
on
sparingly
till
the
necessary
four
years
should
have
expired
,
and
it
seemed
to
him
better
to
adopt
a
profession
than
to
go
in
for
trade
in
any
form
or
shape
.
He
had
had
enough
of
trade
.
He
made
a
round
of
visits
among
special
chums
of
his
own
,
and
during
the
time
so
occupied
had
thought
long
and
seriously
about
his
future
,
and
,
of
all
the
ideas
that
came
to
him
,
that
of
being
a
doctor
was
the
one
with
most
attractions
and
fewest
drawbacks
.
So
early
in
March
he
entered
himself
as
a
student
at
Guy
's
,
determined
to
throw
himself
heart
and
soul
into
his
new
career
,
and
to
let
the
dead
past
be
.
No
return
to
the
conditions
of
that
past
seemed
possible
to
him
,
and
,
though
he
determined
to
think
of
it
as
little
as
he
could
,
there
were
some
things
about
it
that
haunted
him
disturbingly
.
But
he
hoped
,
among
new
friends
and
with
new
ambitions
,
to
forget
successfully
.
A
man
has
his
life
to
live
,
and
life
is
not
over
at
twenty-five
,
even
when
one
has
lost
father
,
fortune
,
and
heart
's
desire
.
One
windy
,
wild
,
bright
March
morning
he
was
walking
up
to
the
hospital
as
usual
from
his
lodgings
in
Kennington
.
He
looked
as
cheerful
as
the
morning
itself
as
he
strode
along
with
an
oak
stick
in
his
hand
,
and
under
his
arm
two
or
three
shiny
black
note-books
with
red
edges
.
Opposite
St
Thomas
's
Street
he
paused
to
watch
for
a
favourable
moment
in
which
to
effect
a
crossing
;
and
before
he
had
time
to
plunge
into
the
chaos
of
vans
,
omnibuses
,
cabs
,
carriages
,
trucks
,
barrows
and
blasphemy
,
the
touch
of
a
hand
on
his
arm
made
him
turn
sharply
round
.
It
was
his
foster-mother
,
with
a
basket
on
her
arm
,
her
attire
several
shades
shabbier
than
he
had
been
used
to
see
it
,
and
her
worn
face
lighted
up
with
pleasure
at
meeting
him
.
'
Eh
,
but
Ah
'm
glad
to
see
thi
face
,
my
lad
,
'
she
said
earnestly
,
as
he
turned
and
shook
her
hand
heartily
.
'
I
thowt
as
there
was
na
more
nor
two
pair
o
'
shoulders
like
these
,
and
I
know
'd
it
was
thee
or
Rowley
the
minute
Ah
seed
thee
.
'
The
familiar
North-country
sing-song
accent
sent
a
momentary
pain
through
the
young
man
's
heart
as
he
answered
,
—
'
I
'm
awfully
glad
to
see
you
again
;
but
what
in
the
name
of
fortune
are
you
doing
here
?
'
'
There
's
na
fortune
i
n't
but
bad
fortune
,
lad
,
'
she
answered
;
'
tha
know
'd
well
enough
when
thee
and
Rowley
fell
out
as
Thornsett
would
n't
be
a
home
for
any
o
'
us
for
long
.
'
There
was
no
reproach
in
her
tone
.
Her
speech
was
only
a
plain
statement
of
fact
.
'
But
what
made
you
come
to
London
?
'
'
T
'
master
thowt
as
there
'd
be
a
big
lot
o
'
work
to
be
gotten
here
,
seeing
as
London
be
such
a
big
place
.
Oh
,
but
it
is
big
,
Master
Dick
.
Ah
'm
getting
a
bit
used
to
it
now
,
but
when
first
we
came
here
the
bigness
and
the
din
of
it
used
to
get
into
my
head
like
,
till
times
Ah
felt
a'most
daft
wi
'
it
.
'
By
this
time
he
had
piloted
her
across
,
and
they
were
walking
side
by
side
towards
London
Bridge
,
whither
she
told
him
she
was
bound
.
'
I
'm
afraid
Hatfield
found
himself
mistaken
about
the
work
;
there
are
no
mills
in
London
,
'
said
Richard
.
'
No
,
or
if
there
be
we
never
found
them
;
but
the
master
's
had
a
bit
o
'
luck
,
and
he
's
getten
took
on
at
a
place
they
call
Dartford
;
m'appen
you
've
heerd
on
it
?
'
'
Well
,
I
am
glad
to
hear
that
.
I
hope
all
the
hands
have
done
as
well
.
'
'
No
one
's
gladder
nor
me
.
Ah
ca
n't
say
for
the
lump
o
'
the
hands
;
but
him
,
ever
since
he
heerd
as
t
'
mill
was
to
stop
,
he
's
not
been
t
'
say
the
same
man
as
wor
so
fond
of
you
and
Rowley
,
and
as
used
to
go
to
chapel
regular
,
and
was
allus
the
best
o
'
husbands
.
'
'
I
hope
he
's
not
unkind
to
you
?
'
said
the
young
man
anxiously
.
'
Nay
;
he
's
steady
enow
,
and
kind
enow
,
but
he
's
changed
like
.
He
will
n't
go
to
chapel
no
more
,
an
'
he
says
as
he
do
n't
believe
as
our
trouble
's
t
'
visitings
o
'
a
kind
Providence
.
'
No
more
did
Richard
,
but
he
forbore
to
say
so
;
and
she
went
on
,
the
pent-up
anxiety
and
sorrow
of
the
last
few
weeks
finding
vent
at
last
,
—
'
An
'
he
's
bitter
set
against
Rowley
.
I
wonder
by
hours
and
hours
whether
there
's
summat
atween
'
em
as
I
do
n't
know
of
.
Sithee
,
Dick
,
if
tha
'll
tell
me
one
thing
it
'll
do
no
harm
nor
no
good
to
no
one
but
me
,
and
it
'll
set
my
mind
at
rest
.
Was
there
owt
i
'
what
folks
set
down
i
'
Thornsett
?
Was
it
Rowley
as
stole
our
Alice
?
'
This
point-blank
question
caught
the
young
man
right
off
his
guard
.
His
face
gave
the
answer
;
his
lips
only
stammered
,
'
How
should
I
know
?
Besides
,
it
can
do
no
one
any
good
now
to
know
that
.
'
'
Thi
eyes
is
honester
nor
thi
tongue
,
'
Mrs
Hatfield
said
,
with
a
face
full
of
trouble
.
'
Make
thi
tongue
speak
truth
as
well
,
lad
,
and
tell
me
what
tha
knows
.
Tell
me
wheer
shoo
is
.
'
'
If
I
had
known
you
would
have
known
too
,
long
ago
,
'
Richard
answered
.
'
But
tha
has
n't
told
me
a
'
tha
knows
e'en
as
'
tis
.
'
'
I
do
n't
know
anything
,
'
Richard
was
beginning
,
when
Mrs
Hatfield
clasped
both
her
hands
on
his
arm
.
'
Dick
,
Dick
,
'
she
said
,
'
tha
's
heerd
o
'
her
or
tha
's
seen
her
.
I
've
allus
had
a
mother
's
heart
for
tha
as
well
as
for
her
,
and
now
it
's
as
if
one
o
'
my
childer
would
n't
help
me
to
find
t'other
.
What
has
tha
heard
?
I
see
i
'
thi
face
'
twas
Rowley
.
Eh
,
but
I
never
thought
the
boy
I
nursed
would
ha
'
turned
on
them
as
loved
him
i
'
this
fashion
.
'
The
tears
followed
the
words
,
which
were
not
whispered
,
and
the
passers-by
turned
their
heads
wonderingly
to
look
at
the
middle-aged
countrywoman
,
with
the
basket
,
who
was
looking
so
earnestly
and
entreatingly
into
the
face
of
the
tall
young
medical
student
.
'
Come
in
here
,
'
he
said
,
and
led
her
into
the
waiting-room
of
the
London
Bridge
Station
,
which
was
fortunately
empty
.
She
sat
down
and
began
to
cry
bitterly
,
while
Richard
stood
helplessly
looking
at
her
.
'
Do
n't
cry
,
'
he
said
;
but
she
took
no
notice
,
and
went
on
moaning
to
herself
.
'
Could
n't
tha
ha
'
stopped
it
?
'
she
said
,
suddenly
raising
her
tear-stained
face
.
'
Tha
couldst
surely
ha
'
stood
i
'
the
way
o
'
such
a
sinful
,
cruel
thing
as
that
.
'
'
Good
God
,
no
!
'
cried
Dick
,
losing
control
of
his
tongue
at
the
sudden
implication
of
himself
in
these
charges
;
'
what
could
I
do
?
I
knew
nothing
of
it
till
last
October
,
and
then
I
did
the
best
I
could
.
'
'
And
tha
found
out
for
sure
.
Tell
me
a
'
abaat
it
.
'
'
I
'm
not
sure
enough
to
tell
any
one
anything
,
'
he
answered
:
'
but
I
was
sure
enough
to
throw
away
all
my
chances
,
because
I
felt
I
could
n't
have
anything
more
to
do
with
a
fellow
who
'd
do
such
a
beastly
mean
thing
as
that
.
'
He
had
no
idea
that
he
was
not
speaking
the
truth
.
He
had
by
this
time
really
convinced
himself
that
he
had
been
prompted
in
his
quarrel
by
the
highest
moral
considerations
,
and
had
taught
himself
to
forget
how
other
motives
and
influences
had
been
at
work
,
and
how
he
had
been
forced
to
acknowledge
this
at
the
time
.
'
How
did
tha
find
it
out
?
'
Mrs
Hatfield
persisted
:
and
Richard
in
desperation
told
her
the
whole
story
.
It
seemed
to
her
as
convincing
as
it
had
done
to
him
.
The
mother
asked
him
innumerable
questions
about
Alice
—
how
had
she
looked
,
how
had
she
spoken
?
It
grieved
him
not
to
be
able
to
give
her
pleasanter
answers
,
but
,
rather
to
his
surprise
,
her
mind
seemed
to
dwell
less
with
sorrow
on
Alice
's
want
and
hard
work
,
than
with
pleasure
on
the
thought
that
her
daughter
had
given
up
her
lover
,
or
,
as
she
called
it
,
returned
to
the
narrow
path
.
But
why
had
she
not
returned
to
her
mother
?
And
that
question
Dick
could
not
answer
.
All
these
questions
and
replies
had
taken
some
time
,
and
the
Dartford
train
had
gone
.
Dick
found
out
the
time
of
the
next
train
,
and
then
came
and
sat
down
beside
her
,
and
did
his
best
to
cheer
her
,
in
which
attempt
his
real
affection
for
her
assured
him
a
measure
of
success
.
By
the
time
the
Dartford
train
was
due
she
was
calm
again
and
reasonably
cheerful
.
He
led
her
to
tell
him
of
their
life
since
they
had
come
to
London
;
how
nearly
everything
had
been
turned
into
money
;
how
the
basket
on
her
arm
contained
all
that
she
had
been
able
to
keep
;
and
how
she
was
going
down
to
join
her
husband
,
and
to
try
to
take
root
with
him
in
a
fresh
soil
.
From
her
he
heard
for
the
first
time
of
Count
Litvinoff
's
visit
to
Thornsett
,
of
the
rioting
of
the
mill
hands
,
and
,
though
she
did
not
say
so
in
so
many
words
,
he
could
see
that
she
placed
the
two
events
in
the
relation
of
cause
and
effect
.
She
told
him
,
too
,
of
Litvinoff
's
bravery
,
and
of
the
fate
of
the
luckless
Isaac
Potts
;
and
Dick
,
though
he
could
n't
help
feeling
interest
and
admiration
at
this
recital
,
did
not
like
the
way
in
which
Miss
Stanley
's
name
and
Litvinoff
's
were
coupled
in
Mrs
Hatfield
's
account
of
the
help
,
advice
,
and
kindness
shown
to
the
hands
before
they
dispersed
from
Thornsett
.
Her
words
suggested
to
him
vague
suspicions
;
but
he
could
n't
think
much
just
then
,
for
it
was
time
to
take
Mrs
Hatfield
's
ticket
and
to
see
her
off
.
This
he
did
,
and
when
he
had
seen
her
comfortably
seated
in
a
corner
of
a
second-class
carriage
,
he
said
good-bye
to
her
,
giving
her
at
parting
a
very
hearty
hand-shake
,
and
a
sovereign
,
which
he
could
ill
afford
.
'
Good-bye
,
dear
,
'
he
said
;
'
you
must
write
and
tell
me
how
you
get
on
.
Here
's
my
address
,
and
I
hope
with
all
my
heart
you
will
have
good
fortune
.
'
He
drew
back
from
the
train
as
it
began
to
move
,
and
waved
a
farewell
.
She
in
turn
waved
her
damp
cotton
handkerchief
,
and
was
borne
out
of
sight
.
As
she
disappeared
Dick
began
to
wonder
what
he
should
do
with
himself
.
The
lecture
he
had
been
about
to
attend
was
hopelessly
lost
and
there
was
nothing
particular
to
be
done
till
after
lunch
.
Obedient
to
what
would
have
been
the
instinct
of
most
young
men
under
such
circumstances
,
his
first
thought
was
to
take
a
ticket
to
Charing
Cross
,
that
being
a
more
cheerful
place
for
the
consideration
of
any
problem
than
the
station
where
he
found
himself
.
In
common
with
every
other
traveller
on
the
South-Eastern
Railway
,
he
had
long
since
arrived
at
the
conclusion
that
London
Bridge
was
the
most
unreasonably
comfortless
and
altogether
objectionable
station
in
England
—
which
is
saying
a
good
deal
.
He
was
just
turning
to
go
down
to
the
booking
office
when
—
'
Great
heavens
,
how
wonderful
!
'
he
said
.
As
he
turned
he
found
himself
face
to
face
with
the
girl
whose
mother
had
just
left
him
.
She
was
close
to
him
,
and
had
instinctively
held
out
her
hand
,
which
he
had
clasped
in
greeting
before
he
noticed
that
she
was
not
alone
.
Her
companion
was
evidently
a
gentleman
.
Her
dress
was
much
better
than
had
been
that
of
the
girl
for
whom
he
had
carried
the
brown-paper
parcel
five
months
ago
.
Richard
noticed
this
with
a
pang
of
uneasiness
as
he
said
,
—
'
Why
,
Alice
,
I
am
very
glad
to
see
you
;
you
're
looking
much
better
.
Where
are
you
off
to
?
What
are
you
doing
?
'
'
Oh
,
dear
,
I
'm
so
sorry
,
Mr
Richard
;
I
'm
just
going
by
this
train
to
stay
at
Chislehurst
with
some
friends
of
this
gentleman
's
.
Mr
Petrovitch
,
Mr
Ferrier
.
'
The
men
bowed
—
Petrovitch
with
easy
courtesy
,
and
Ferrier
with
a
frigid
reserve
which
would
only
allow
him
to
raise
his
hat
about
an
eighth
of
an
inch
—
and
as
they
did
so
the
train
steamed
in
.
'
You
must
not
miss
this
train
,
'
said
Petrovitch
;
'
there
is
not
another
for
so
long
a
time
.
'
'
Good-bye
,
Mr
Richard
,
'
she
said
.
'
When
you
see
father
or
mother
,
tell
them
I
'm
well
and
happier
,
and
have
good
friends
.
'
Ferrier
had
it
on
the
tip
of
his
tongue
to
tell
her
how
he
had
just
seen
her
mother
,
but
Petrovitch
,
with
an
air
of
authority
,
cut
short
their
farewells
by
hurrying
her
into
the
train
.
'
Good-bye
,
'
said
Richard
,
rather
at
a
loss
in
this
unexpected
and
bewilderingly
brief
meeting
;
'
could
n't
you
write
to
me
?
I
'm
at
Guy
's
—
Guy
's
Hospital
,
you
know
.
'
'
Stand
back
,
sir
,
'
said
the
guard
,
slamming
the
door
with
one
hand
and
putting
his
whistle
to
his
lips
with
the
other
,
as
the
train
gave
a
lurch
and
began
to
move
off
.
'
Bon
voyage
,
Mrs
Litvinoff
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
bringing
a
startled
look
and
a
vivid
blush
into
Alice
's
face
,
and
giving
Richard
the
biggest
surprise
of
his
life
.
His
blank
astonishment
was
too
evident
for
Petrovitch
to
ignore
it
.
He
looked
at
Richard
inquiringly
.
'
Er
—
er
,
I
beg
your
pardon
,
'
stammered
Ferrier
,
as
soon
as
he
could
find
words
.
'
You
called
that
—
a
—
lady
Mrs
Litvinoff
?
'
'
I
did
,
sir
,
'
answered
the
other
,
with
a
rather
angry
flash
of
his
deep-set
eyes
.
'
I
might
have
called
her
Countess
Litvinoff
,
if
you
attach
any
importance
to
titles
.
'
'
Good
God
!
'
said
Richard
,
very
slowly
.
He
sat
down
on
the
wooden
seat
without
another
word
.
'
I
wish
you
good-morning
,
sir
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
making
for
the
incline
which
leads
off
the
platform
.
Before
he
had
made
three
paces
young
Ferrier
had
pulled
himself
together
,
and
had
overtaken
him
and
laid
a
hand
on
his
arm
.
'
Forgive
me
,
sir
—
I
am
afraid
you
think
me
very
strange
and
unmannerly
—
but
I
have
a
deeper
interest
in
this
matter
than
you
can
possibly
imagine
.
I
must
beg
you
to
allow
me
a
few
moments
for
explanation
.
'
'
Certainly
,
sir
;
I
shall
be
happy
to
walk
your
way
,
'
answered
the
Russian
,
less
stiffly
.
No
more
was
said
till
they
got
outside
the
station
.
It
was
not
easy
for
Richard
to
know
how
to
begin
.
He
did
not
know
how
much
this
man
knew
of
Alice
,
and
he
felt
it
would
be
unfair
to
tell
her
story
,
as
far
as
he
knew
it
,
to
one
who
seemed
to
know
her
only
as
a
married
woman
.
But
,
on
the
other
hand
,
how
much
did
he
himself
know
of
her
story
?
He
walked
along
beside
Petrovitch
for
at
least
ten
minutes
before
he
could
make
up
his
mind
how
to
begin
.
At
length
the
other
half-stopped
and
looked
at
him
in
a
way
that
compelled
speech
of
some
kind
.
'
The
reason
I
was
so
surprised
when
I
heard
you
call
that
—
lady
Mrs
Litvinoff
,
was
that
I
have
known
her
from
a
child
,
and
did
not
know
that
she
was
married
.
I
—
I
—
also
knew
a
Count
Litvinoff
in
London
a
few
months
ago
,
and
certainly
did
not
know
that
he
was
married
.
The
connection
of
the
two
names
startled
me
.
I
must
also
tell
you
that
it
did
more
than
startle
me
;
it
relieved
me
.
'
'
You
are
,
then
,
very
much
interested
in
my
friend
?
'
said
Petrovitch
.
'
Well
,
'
said
Richard
,
finding
it
desperately
hard
to
break
through
his
English
reserve
,
and
yet
feeling
that
he
could
not
in
common
fairness
expect
to
get
any
information
from
one
who
called
himself
a
'
friend
'
of
Alice
's
without
showing
good
reasons
for
asking
for
such
information
.
'
Well
,
I
am
interested
,
very
much
interested
,
but
not
quite
in
the
way
that
men
generally
are
when
they
talk
about
being
interested
in
a
woman
.
Look
here
,
'
he
said
,
stopping
,
and
finding
his
powers
of
diplomacy
absolutely
failing
him
,
falling
back
on
the
naked
truth
,
'
that
young
woman
has
been
the
cause
—
the
innocent
cause
,
mind
—
of
a
complete
separation
between
my
brother
and
myself
.
I
thought
my
brother
had
done
her
a
great
wrong
.
Can
you
tell
me
whether
he
did
or
not
?
His
name
is
Roland
Ferrier
.
'
'
So
far
as
I
know
Mrs
Litvinoff
's
story
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
speaking
very
deliberately
,
'
no
wrong
of
any
sort
has
ever
been
done
her
by
any
one
of
that
name
.
'
'
Ay
,
but
,
'
said
Richard
,
'
so
far
as
you
know
;
but
do
you
know
all
?
Do
you
know
with
whom
she
did
go
when
she
left
her
home
?
'
'
I
do
.
'
'
It
was
not
my
brother
?
'
'
It
was
not
your
brother
.
'
Richard
had
just
said
that
he
felt
greatly
relieved
.
If
that
statement
was
true
,
his
looks
certainly
belied
him
.
'
One
question
more
,
'
he
said
.
'
I
want
to
know
exactly
how
far
wrong
I
have
been
.
Do
you
know
if
my
brother
has
had
any
communication
at
all
with
her
since
she
left
her
home
?
—
did
he
know
where
she
was
?
'
'
I
believe
that
he
has
had
no
communication
with
her
,
and
that
he
did
not
know
where
she
was
.
'
'
Can
you
tell
me
who
this
Litvinoff
is
,
then
?
Is
he
the
Count
Michael
Litvinoff
that
I
know
,
or
knew
?
If
so
,
did
he
marry
,
and
when
did
he
marry
her
?
and
why
did
she
leave
him
?
—
for
she
did
leave
some
man
;
she
told
me
so
.
'
'
Ah
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
'
you
said
one
more
question
;
that
question
I
answered
because
I
thought
you
were
really
concerned
in
knowing
the
answer
.
Forgive
me
,
these
other
matters
I
think
do
not
concern
you
.
'
'
Well
,
'
Richard
answered
,
'
I
knew
that
girl
when
she
was
a
baby
,
and
I
've
always
been
fond
of
her
,
and
I
should
naturally
be
glad
to
hear
anything
about
her
.
I
am
glad
to
see
her
looking
so
much
better
,
and
better
cared
for
than
when
I
met
her
last
.
'
Petrovitch
bent
his
head
silently
.
They
had
stopped
by
this
time
just
opposite
the
Borough
Market
.
'
I
am
sorry
you
will
not
tell
me
more
about
her
;
but
since
you
have
told
me
that
my
brother
has
not
injured
her
in
any
way
,
I
do
n't
know
that
I
have
any
right
to
ask
you
more
.
I
must
thank
you
for
telling
me
what
you
have
done
,
and
ask
you
to
excuse
my
seeming
curiosity
.
'
Petrovitch
bowed
;
young
Ferrier
did
the
same
,
and
they
parted
—
Petrovitch
turned
across
the
bridge
,
while
Richard
retraced
his
steps
towards
the
station
.
He
made
his
way
to
the
telegraph
office
,
and
sent
off
this
message
:
—
'
Richard
Ferrier
,
Guy
's
Hospital
,
London
,
to
Gates
,
The
Hollies
,
Firth
Vale
.
—
Please
wire
me
my
brother
's
address
at
once
if
you
know
it
.
'
Then
he
crossed
the
station-yard
,
and
ran
down
the
steep
stone
steps
which
are
part
of
the
shortest
cut
to
the
hospital
,
and
as
he
went
he
felt
more
wretched
than
he
had
ever
been
before
.
He
had
always
believed
in
himself
so
intensely
that
an
actual
injury
would
have
been
less
hard
to
bear
than
this
sudden
shattering
of
his
faith
in
his
own
judgment
.
He
had
been
so
utterly
mistaken
—
so
wrong
all
round
.
Everything
had
seemed
to
point
to
his
brother
's
guilt
.
Now
everything
seemed
to
have
pointed
to
his
innocence
.
If
Richard
's
eyes
had
not
been
so
blinded
by
—
what
?
It
was
a
moment
for
seeing
things
clearly
,
and
Richard
saw
that
his
own
passion
and
jealousy
had
perverted
his
view
of
all
that
had
taken
place
in
the
autumn
.
That
meeting
in
Spray
's
Buildings
—
of
course
it
was
the
likeliest
thing
in
the
world
that
Roland
really
had
seen
Litvinoff
,
and
at
the
thought
of
that
sympathetic
nobleman
the
young
man
ground
his
teeth
.
How
completely
he
had
been
fooled
!
It
must
be
the
same
Litvinoff
—
for
had
not
Alice
been
present
at
his
lecture
in
Soho
?
How
had
Alice
met
such
a
man
?
Oh
,
that
might
have
happened
in
a
thousand
ways
.
Had
Litvinoff
really
married
her
?
Richard
thought
he
had
not
.
He
remembered
Litvinoff
's
moustache
,
and
felt
sure
that
he
had
not
.
Felt
sure
?
How
could
he
feel
sure
of
anything
,
when
here
,
where
he
had
been
so
absolutely
certain
,
he
was
proved
to
have
been
wrong
?
What
fearful
blunders
he
had
made
—
what
a
horrible
muddle
he
had
got
everything
into
—
what
irretrievable
mischief
he
had
done
!
But
,
though
he
blamed
himself
deeply
and
bitterly
,
he
still
,
not
unnaturally
,
blamed
Litvinoff
with
still
more
bitter
earnestness
.
One
thing
only
was
clear
to
him
.
He
must
find
Roland
at
once
,
tell
him
all
the
circumstances
,
and
beg
his
pardon
.
It
would
be
all
right
again
between
him
and
his
brother
,
towards
whom
he
now
felt
a
rush
of
reactionary
affection
.
But
how
about
the
mill
hands
,
now
scattered
far
and
wide
beyond
recall
—
beyond
the
reach
of
his
help
—
through
this
same
mad
folly
of
his
?
In
an
impulse
to
do
something
for
at
least
one
of
those
who
had
suffered
through
him
,
he
turned
off
from
the
hospital
and
took
a
hansom
to
his
rooms
,
where
he
unlocked
his
desk
,
and
,
taking
a
five-pound
note
from
his
slender
stock
of
money
,
enclosed
it
in
an
envelope
,
which
he
addressed
to
Mrs
Hatfield
at
the
address
she
had
given
him
,
in
a
hand
not
his
own
.
He
would
do
more
for
them
when
he
and
his
brother
had
begun
to
work
the
mill
again
.
That
would
be
one
big
result
of
his
new
knowledge
.
His
medical
studies
would
be
at
an
end
,
and
he
would
be
once
more
Ferrier
of
Thornsett
.
But
that
was
poor
compensation
for
all
the
rest
.
When
Mr
Gates
'
answering
telegram
came
it
was
a
wet
blanket
on
Richard
's
longing
to
make
his
confession
and
talk
things
over
with
Roland
—
for
it
ran
thus
:
—
'
Robert
Gates
,
The
Hollies
,
Firth
Vale
,
to
Richard
Ferrier
,
Guy
's
Hospital
.
—
Do
n't
know
his
address
—
he
is
expected
here
in
a
few
days
.
Has
left
Chelsea
,
and
is
making
visits
on
his
way
here
.
Glad
you
want
him
.
Letter
follows
.
'
So
he
could
not
see
Roland
that
day
,
after
all
,
and
there
was
nothing
for
it
but
to
possess
his
soul
in
patience
until
he
heard
again
from
Gates
.
So
he
spent
the
evening
with
some
congenial
acquaintances
who
had
diggings
in
Trinity
Square
,
and
managed
to
get
through
the
night
without
being
driven
to
distraction
by
his
remorseful
self-tormenting
thoughts
.
But
the
next
morning
he
remembered
,
with
a
start
,
for
the
first
time
,
that
,
not
content
with
believing
his
brother
to
be
guilty
of
a
disgraceful
action
,
he
had
accused
him
of
it
to
Clare
Stanley
,
and
,
worse
than
that
,
to
Alice
's
own
mother
.
He
felt
he
could
never
face
Clare
again
after
that
,
come
what
might
.
But
the
Hatfields
?
At
least
it
would
be
only
fair
to
make
what
reparation
he
could
by
undeceiving
them
.
He
would
go
down
to
Dartford
that
very
day
,
and
tell
them
how
mistaken
he
had
been
.
He
went
by
the
same
train
which
had
carried
Mrs
Hatfield
thither
on
the
preceding
day
.
Arrived
at
Dartford
the
Dismal
,
Richard
betook
himself
to
the
address
that
had
been
given
him
,
which
,
after
some
difficulty
,
he
found
to
be
one
of
a
row
of
small
,
ill-favoured
,
squalid
cottages
a
little
way
out
of
the
town
.
There
were
a
good
many
children
about
,
who
stared
at
him
with
open-eyed
curiosity
,
and
did
dreadful
things
to
their
mouths
with
their
grimy
little
fingers
in
the
excitement
of
seeing
a
gentleman
stop
at
No.
5
Earl
's
Terrace
.
The
battered
,
blistered
green
door
had
no
knocker
.
The
handle
of
Richard
's
umbrella
afforded
an
impromptu
one
,
and
,
in
answer
to
the
spirited
solo
which
he
proceeded
to
execute
with
it
,
the
door
was
opened
,
and
by
his
foster-mother
herself
.
She
looked
very
pale
and
worried
,
and
had
evidently
been
crying
.
She
did
n't
seem
surprised
to
see
him
;
she
was
in
that
state
of
mind
when
nothing
seems
worth
being
surprised
about
.
'
Come
in
,
lad
,
'
she
said
.
'
Ah
got
thi
kind
token
.
Ah
know
'd
'
twas
thee
as
sent
it
,
and
m'appen
Ah
'll
need
it
more
nor
tha
thowt
when
tha
sent
it
,
for
t
'
maister
's
giv
'
up
his
work
an
'
gone
off
.
'
She
had
set
a
chair
for
him
,
and
as
she
finished
this
speech
she
sat
down
herself
and
looked
hopelessly
at
him
.
'
Gone
—
gone
!
Left
you
!
Why
,
he
must
be
out
of
his
mind
.
'
'
His
mind
's
right
enough
;
it
's
his
soul
as
Ah
'm
feared
about
,
Dick
.
He
's
gone
to
have
it
out
wi
'
Rowley
,
and
get
at
the
rights
of
it
.
'
'
But
where
is
Roland
?
Where
's
he
gone
to
?
'
'
He
's
gone
to
Thornsett
.
'
'
Why
,
Roland
is
n't
there
.
'
'
Thank
God
!
God
be
praised
,
if
it
'll
on'y
please
His
good
providence
to
keep
'
em
fra
meetin
'
!
'
'
But
how
came
he
to
go
?
How
did
it
happen
?
Tell
me
all
about
it
?
'
It
seemed
that
when
her
husband
had
met
her
at
Dartford
Station
,
she
,
pleased
with
having
met
Richard
,
had
told
him
of
the
rencontre
.
That
he
had
closely
questioned
her
,
and
when
at
last
he
had
learned
every
word
that
had
passed
between
them
,
he
had
turned
suddenly
on
her
,
and
told
her
that
this
was
the
first
time
he
had
ever
even
thought
of
such
a
thing
being
possible
as
that
Roland
had
been
the
cause
of
Alice
's
ruin
,
and
that
now
he
did
know
he
would
not
lose
a
day
in
facing
him
with
the
accusation
.
'
Do
you
mean
to
say
,
'
said
Richard
,
'
that
it
's
through
me
he
thinks
that
Roland
took
her
away
?
'
'
I
do
n't
say
it
was
thy
fault
,
lad
.
I
'm
more
to
blame
than
thee
.
I
should
a-kept
my
clattering
tongue
quiet
,
and
I
should
a-known
my
own
man
better
after
a
'
these
years
nor
to
think
that
if
he
had
a-thowt
it
was
Rowley
he
wouldna
ha
'
faced
him
wi
'
it
long
sin
'
.
'
'
This
is
devilish
pleasant
!
'
said
Richard
,
rising
and
taking
a
stride
across
the
little
room
;
but
how
did
he
go
?
'
It
appeared
he
had
started
off
with
but
a
pound
,
or
little
more
,
in
his
pocket
,
intending
to
walk
the
greater
part
of
the
way
,
and
only
telling
her
that
she
would
n't
hear
of
him
until
she
saw
him
back
again
.
'
And
what
do
you
think
will
happen
when
they
do
meet
?
'
he
asked
.
'
Oh
,
Ah
'm
feared
to
think
!
'
she
said
,
wringing
her
hands
and
beginning
to
weep
.
'
I
'll
tell
you
what
I
'll
do
,
'
said
Richard
.
'
I
'll
go
straight
down
to
Thornsett
now
,
and
keep
a
look-out
for
Hatfield
.
I
'll
stop
any
more
mischief
,
any
way
.
I
think
I
can
promise
you
that
nothing
much
will
happen
if
they
do
meet
.
'
She
caught
hold
of
his
hand
,
and
began
to
thank
him
.
'
Oh
,
do
n't
thank
me
!
'
he
said
;
'
the
whole
sad
business
has
been
my
fault
from
beginning
to
end
.
I
found
out
yesterday
,
almost
directly
I
left
you
,
that
Rowley
was
as
innocent
of
doing
any
harm
to
Alice
as
I
am
,
and
I
found
out
,
too
,
that
she
is
well
and
pretty
happy
,
and
,
I
heard
,
married
.
If
it
had
n't
been
for
me
,
Hatfield
would
n't
have
gone
off
on
this
wild-goose
chase
.
But
I
must
get
back
now
;
my
train
goes
in
twenty
minutes
,
and
I
want
to
catch
the
three
o'clock
train
for
Firth
Vale
.
'
He
caught
the
three
o'clock
train
to
Firth
Vale
,
having
managed
,
by
a
very
hurried
farewell
,
to
escape
the
torrent
of
questions
Mrs
Hatfield
would
have
liked
to
pour
out
.
He
felt
that
,
all
things
considered
,
the
less
he
said
about
the
matter
the
better
.
He
had
been
wrong
too
often
,
and
too
much
.
MAKING
IT
UP
THERE
was
rejoicing
in
the
house
of
Robert
Gates
,
as
over
a
prodigal
returned
,
when
Richard
Ferrier
avowed
that
he
had
been
mistaken
all
through
in
his
quarrel
with
his
brother
,
and
that
he
was
now
only
anxious
to
acknowledge
his
error
,
and
to
do
his
best
to
set
things
going
again
on
the
old
footing
.
But
he
had
some
days
to
wait
before
he
could
make
his
confession
.
Thornsett
Edge
had
remained
unoccupied
,
for
there
was
some
difficulty
in
letting
a
furnished
house
near
a
deserted
village
.
People
did
not
seem
to
care
about
the
vicinity
of
all
those
empty
shells
of
homes
.
So
Roland
had
decided
to
occupy
it
again
,
and
he
was
coming
down
there
to
get
things
ready
for
his
aunt
's
reception
,
and
was
making
a
few
visits
to
old
friends
on
his
way
.
He
had
written
down
to
the
old
couple
in
charge
to
have
the
place
ready
,
as
he
might
come
down
any
day
.
Two
days
passed
and
he
had
not
come
,
and
Richard
was
getting
tired
of
the
constant
inquiries
and
congratulations
which
assailed
him
at
The
Hollies
.
He
thought
he
would
go
home
,
and
be
there
to
welcome
Roland
when
he
arrived
.
So
he
sent
over
his
portmanteau
,
and
took
up
his
quarters
in
his
old
room
at
Thornsett
Edge
.
He
was
in
a
very
tender
and
remorseful
frame
of
mind
in
those
days
.
He
wandered
all
over
the
old
house
,
full
filled
of
memories
of
the
time
when
he
and
his
brother
played
together
there
as
children
;
of
the
time
when
,
later
,
they
thrashed
each
other
as
schoolboys
,
with
right
good
will
.
There
were
haunting
thoughts
of
the
dissension
that
had
grown
up
between
them
,
and
of
the
shadow
that
the
knowledge
of
it
had
cast
upon
their
father
's
deathbed
.
The
necessity
which
he
felt
himself
to
be
under
of
keeping
a
sharp
look-out
for
John
Hatfield
,
fortunately
served
as
a
kind
of
antidote
to
the
rush
of
memories
and
associations
which
came
over
Richard
,
now
that
he
was
once
again
in
his
home
.
He
walked
down
to
the
village
to
seek
out
the
few
'
hands
'
who
had
clung
like
rooks
to
their
old
haunts
,
and
there
he
saw
sad
sights
and
heard
sad
stories
enough
to
have
driven
him
mad
had
he
not
known
that
it
would
soon
be
in
his
power
to
set
things
in
some
degree
right
again
.
He
resolved
,
and
felt
sure
of
Roland
's
co-operation
in
his
scheme
,
to
seek
out
as
many
of
the
old
'
hands
'
as
could
be
got
word
of
,
and
to
give
each
of
them
enough
to
get
a
home
together
again
.
Of
course
he
thought
often
of
Miss
Stanley
;
but
the
past
months
of
unusual
action
and
changed
surroundings
had
altered
his
feeling
for
her
,
which
was
fortunate
for
him
,
since
he
had
falsely
accused
his
own
brother
to
her
—
a
meanness
which
he
knew
it
to
be
quite
impossible
for
such
a
woman
as
Clare
ever
to
forget
or
forgive
.
He
thought
of
her
now
without
any
of
the
old
passion
,
as
he
might
have
thought
of
one
who
had
died
long
before
,
or
of
one
whom
he
had
loved
in
some
other
life
.
This
did
not
prevent
him
from
feeling
furiously
jealous
of
Litvinoff
,
to
whom
he
seemed
to
have
transferred
all
the
anger
that
had
burned
in
him
against
his
brother
,
intensified
by
a
galling
consciousness
of
the
complete
success
which
Litvinoff
had
achieved
in
his
attempt
to
deceive
and
mislead
him
.
There
should
be
a
reckoning
for
that
,
Richard
thought
.
He
felt
glad
he
had
always
mistrusted
the
man
.
It
showed
that
his
judgment
was
worth
something
sometimes
,
and
this
pleased
his
self-love
.
On
the
third
day
came
a
telegram
from
Matlock
,
which
said
that
Roland
would
be
at
home
that
evening
.
Richard
roamed
about
the
house
in
restless
impatience
all
day
.
How
should
they
meet
?
He
should
not
dare
to
go
to
the
door
to
greet
his
brother
lest
he
should
imagine
that
it
was
a
renewal
of
hostilities
,
not
a
welcome
home
,
that
was
intended
.
Richard
had
no
eye
for
dramatic
effects
,
nor
any
leaning
thereto
,
but
he
charged
the
old
people
to
say
nothing
of
his
presence
,
and
to
leave
him
to
announce
himself
to
his
brother
when
he
should
think
well
.
His
brother
would
have
done
exactly
the
same
thing
from
absolutely
opposite
motives
.
So
when
Roland
walked
up
to
his
home
in
the
teeth
of
the
wild
March
wind
the
only
welcome
that
met
him
was
that
of
the
old
woman
in
charge
,
and
this
seemed
to
him
to
be
so
inconsequently
effusive
,
and
the
good
lady
herself
seemed
so
unreasonably
radiant
,
that
he
was
quite
flattered
.
It
was
pleasant
to
him
to
be
appreciated
and
admired
,
even
by
a
'
person
in
charge
.
'
'
The
fire
's
i
'
the
dining-room
,
Mr
Roland
,
'
she
said
;
'
an
'
I
'll
dish
ye
up
the
supper
in
less
nor
half
a
minute
,
sir
.
It
's
a
glad
day
for
Thornsett
as
sees
yer
back
agen
.
'
Mrs
Brock
's
son
had
worked
in
the
mill
—
a
fact
which
made
the
anticipated
reconciliation
peculiarly
interesting
to
her
.
Richard
from
his
ambush
in
his
own
room
heard
the
greeting
,
heard
the
well-known
voice
giving
orders
about
rugs
and
hat-boxes
in
the
well-known
tones
.
Then
he
heard
doors
open
and
close
.
After
a
while
a
savoury
smell
from
the
hot
supper
that
was
being
carried
in
rose
to
his
altitude
.
The
dining-room
door
was
opened
,
and
shut
several
times
.
At
last
it
was
closed
with
a
more
decided
touch
,
and
in
the
noise
of
its
closing
was
a
settled
sound
as
of
a
door
that
did
not
mean
to
open
again
just
yet
.
Richard
knew
that
the
supper
had
been
cleared
away
,
and
that
Roland
was
most
likely
assisting
digestion
with
tobacco
and
grog
.
This
would
be
the
time
,
he
decided
,
to
put
in
an
appearance
and
to
get
through
his
proposed
reconciliation
.
He
went
softly
downstairs
,
and
paused
a
moment
with
his
hand
on
the
dining-room
door
.
The
house
was
very
still
.
As
he
stood
there
he
heard
a
cinder
fall
from
the
fire
in
the
dining-room
,
and
the
great
hall
clock
at
the
foot
of
the
stairs
ticked
louder
than
usual
,
as
it
seemed
.
He
turned
the
handle
and
went
in
.
Roland
was
sitting
in
the
big
arm-chair
by
the
fire
where
their
father
had
been
used
to
sit
.
As
the
door
opened
he
looked
up
with
a
sort
of
displeased
curiosity
to
see
who
it
was
that
had
the
assurance
to
enter
unannounced
.
When
he
saw
who
it
was
he
gave
a
start
,
and
the
expression
of
his
face
changed
to
something
deeper
and
sterner
.
He
got
up
.
'
I
understood
from
Gates
,
'
he
said
,
'
that
you
renounced
all
claim
to
be
in
this
house
so
long
as
half
the
possible
rent
was
paid
you
.
I
mean
to
pay
you
your
half
.
May
I
ask
,
then
,
what
you
want
here
?
'
'
I
want
to
beg
your
pardon
,
'
began
Richard
,
his
hand
still
on
the
lock
—
when
his
brother
interrupted
him
with
,
—
'
Had
n't
you
better
close
the
door
?
I
suppose
you
do
n't
want
all
the
world
to
hear
anything
you
may
have
to
say
.
'
His
tone
was
so
icily
cold
that
the
other
found
it
hard
to
go
on
as
he
had
intended
.
He
did
his
best
,
however
.
'
I
am
very
sorry
for
all
that
happened
in
the
autumn
.
I
was
quite
deceived
and
misled
,
and
I
beg
your
pardon
.
I
ca
n't
say
more
,
and
I
hope
you
'll
let
bygones
be
bygones
.
'
He
held
out
his
hand
.
At
this
point
in
the
scene
Dick
had
fancied
that
his
brother
would
clasp
his
hand
with
reciprocating
affection
,
and
all
would
be
forgiven
and
forgotten
.
But
the
other
actor
evidently
intended
a
different
'
reading
'
of
the
part
assigned
him
.
He
made
no
movement
to
meet
the
outstretched
hand
.
On
the
contrary
,
he
put
his
hands
in
his
pockets
with
a
too
expressive
gesture
,
and
was
silent
.
'
Come
,
Roland
,
'
said
Dick
,
who
,
knowing
himself
to
have
been
in
the
wrong
,
displayed
a
patience
which
surprised
himself
;
'
make
it
up
,
old
man
.
'
'
I
am
not
sure
,
'
said
the
other
slowly
,
'
that
I
care
to
make
it
up
,
as
you
call
it
.
No
"
making-up
"
can
alter
all
that
has
gone
wrong
through
your
foolishness
.
I
've
gone
through
the
worst
of
the
trouble
now
,
and
,
to
tell
you
the
truth
,
I
'm
not
inclined
to
lay
myself
open
to
any
more
experiences
of
this
kind
.
You
might
be
"
deceived
and
misled
"
again
.
'
Richard
,
who
had
remained
standing
,
gave
the
slightest
possible
stamp
of
impatience
,
which
his
brother
did
not
observe
.
'
And
as
for
the
money
,
'
he
went
on
,
'
I
dare
say
I
can
do
as
well
without
it
as
with
it
.
'
'
Look
here
,
'
said
Dick
,
his
face
flushing
hotly
;
'
if
you
suppose
I
care
a
straw
about
the
dirty
money
,
you
're
mistaken
;
only
one
of
us
ca
n't
have
any
without
the
other
now
.
Come
,
Roland
,
be
friends
,
if
it
's
only
for
the
old
dad
's
sake
.
'
Roland
seemed
to
have
what
the
children
call
the
'
black
dog
on
his
shoulder
,
'
but
this
appeal
was
not
lost
.
He
made
an
effort
to
overcome
the
resentment
and
bitterness
that
filled
him
,
and
after
a
moment
held
out
his
hand
,
saying
,
—
'
Very
well
,
I
'll
shake
hands
.
I
suppose
we
shall
manage
to
scrape
along
together
as
well
as
a
good
many
brothers
.
'
And
this
was
the
reconciliation
that
Richard
had
had
his
heart
full
of
for
the
last
three
or
four
days
.
It
was
piteously
unlike
his
dreams
of
it
.
When
they
had
shaken
hands
,
Dick
sat
down
.
There
was
a
silence
—
a
very
awkward
silence
.
Roland
passed
the
whisky
along
the
table
,
and
the
other
mechanically
helped
himself
.
'
I
think
,
'
Roland
said
presently
,
'
that
you
owe
me
an
explanation
of
all
this
.
'
'
Of
course
I
do
,
'
assented
Richard
eagerly
;
'
but
you
are
so
—
well
,
unapproachable
;
but
I
'll
tell
you
every
word
about
it
,
'
which
he
did
,
omitting
no
particulars
which
bore
on
the
case
.
'
So
he
called
her
Mrs
Litvinoff
,
did
he
?
'
was
Roland
's
comment
on
the
Petrovitch-Ferrier
episode
at
London
Bridge
.
'
I
should
think
she
had
just
taken
the
name
by
chance
,
but
for
one
thing
.
'
'
And
that
is
?
'
'
You
say
she
lived
in
that
house
I
saw
Litvinoff
go
into
the
day
we
split
.
It
must
have
been
Litvinoff
,
and
he
must
have
been
going
to
her
;
but
it
's
very
strange
how
he
ever
knew
her
.
And
was
this
really
all
the
ground
you
had
for
doing
what
you
did
?
'
There
was
contempt
in
his
tone
.
'
No
,
'
said
Richard
.
'
You
went
away
on
a
"
mysterious
holiday
"
just
when
she
disappeared
,
and
that
set
all
the
village
tongues
wagging
,
and
first
made
me
wonder
and
suspect
.
Now
I
know
I
was
wrong
;
but
if
you
do
n't
mind
,
Roland
,
I
wish
you
'd
tell
me
why
you
went
just
then
.
I
've
told
you
everything
.
'
'
The
whole
thing
is
over
and
done
with
now
,
'
he
answered
;
'
and
after
to-night
I
do
n't
want
to
ever
speak
about
it
;
but
I
will
tell
you
if
you
like
.
I
went
away
because
I
saw
you
were
beginning
to
care
for
Clare
Stanley
,
and
I
was
beginning
to
care
too
,
and
I
thought
that
if
I
went
away
I
could
pull
through
it
,
and
that
you
would
make
the
running
and
be
happy
with
her
,
but
I
found
I
could
n't
do
it
,
and
I
came
back
and
did
my
best
to
cut
you
out
,
as
you
did
by
me
.
'
'
Oh
,
Roland
,
what
a
good
fellow
you
were
to
think
of
such
a
thing
!
'
said
Dick
,
to
whom
a
generous
action
like
this
,
even
though
only
attempted
,
could
not
fail
to
appeal
most
strongly
.
'
But
how
is
it
now
?
'
he
went
on
,
stung
by
a
host
of
conflicting
feelings
.
'
Have
you
made
the
running
?
Have
you
won
her
?
'
'
No
!
'
he
answered
bitterly
.
'
The
closing
of
the
mill
settled
that
for
me
as
well
as
for
you
.
Some
one
else
has
had
as
good
a
chance
as
ours
,
though
,
and
has
made
a
better
use
of
it
.
Count
Litvinoff
is
a
constant
visitor
at
the
house
where
she
is
,
and
I
do
n't
doubt
she
will
marry
him
;
unless
,
indeed
,
he
is
married
already
.
I
think
we
ought
to
try
and
find
that
out
.
'
'
Married
or
not
,
he
is
a
damned
scoundrel
!
'
cried
Richard
;
'
and
he
shall
not
marry
her
.
She
would
never
look
at
me
again
,
I
know
;
but
I
hope
you
may
win
her
yet
,
Roland
.
'
'
My
chance
is
gone
for
ever
.
I
wish
I
'd
never
had
that
Litvinoff
down
here
.
But
who
could
have
foreseen
this
?
'
'
We
've
both
been
fools
.
'
Roland
did
not
seem
to
relish
this
broad
statement
.
'
I
ca
n't
think
how
,
'
he
was
beginning
,
when
Mrs
Brock
came
in
with
coals
,
and
almost
purred
with
pleasure
at
seeing
the
two
amicably
drinking
their
whisky
at
the
same
hearth
.
When
she
had
left
the
room
Richard
rose
.
'
Look
here
,
old
man
,
'
he
said
;
'
I
'm
as
sorry
as
a
fellow
can
be
about
all
this
,
and
I
ca
n't
think
how
I
could
have
been
such
a
fool
.
That
's
what
you
were
going
to
say
,
was
n't
it
?
But
since
we
're
agreed
on
that
,
do
n't
let
's
say
any
more
about
it
.
Forgive
and
forget
,
and
I
hope
you
will
be
happy
yet
—
with
Miss
Stanley
.
Let
's
agree
to
let
this
subject
alone
for
a
bit
.
I
think
I
'll
have
a
run
round
the
garden
before
I
turn
in
.
Good-night
.
'
'
Good-night
,
'
Roland
answered
,
but
in
a
manner
whose
evident
effort
after
cordiality
made
the
failure
of
that
effort
the
more
painful
.
'
I
shall
go
to
bed
;
I
'm
dead
beat
—
been
knocking
about
all
day
.
'
Then
they
shook
hands
again
,
and
Richard
went
out
.
He
had
thought
that
Roland
would
have
met
his
apologies
with
ready
acceptance
—
his
revived
brotherly
love
with
equal
enthusiasm
—
and
the
nature
of
the
reconciliation
jarred
upon
him
.
And
yet
,
as
he
told
himself
,
he
thoroughly
deserved
it
all
.
No
doubt
time
would
soften
his
brother
's
sense
of
injury
,
and
some
day
they
might
be
as
good
friends
again
as
they
had
been
before
Clare
Stanley
's
prettiness
had
come
,
like
a
will-o'-the-wisp
,
to
lead
them
into
all
sorts
of
follies
.
He
tried
to
think
he
would
be
glad
if
she
married
Roland
.
Anything
,
he
thought
,
rather
than
that
she
should
marry
Litvinoff
.
He
passed
the
limits
of
the
garden
and
strolled
down
the
road
,
deep
in
thought
.
It
was
only
when
he
had
nearly
reached
the
mill
that
he
remembered
with
a
start
that
he
had
told
his
brother
nothing
about
John
Hatfield
and
his
revengeful
projects
.
However
,
Roland
could
come
to
no
harm
now
—
he
was
probably
safe
in
bed
—
and
he
could
tell
him
in
the
morning
.
So
he
strolled
on
,
smoking
reflectively
,
and
with
a
heart
not
light
.
VENGEANCE
ASTRAY
JOHN
HATFIELD
had
left
Dartford
,
his
wife
,
and
his
work
,
driven
by
an
impulse
as
vague
as
it
was
irresistible
.
He
did
not
know
what
he
meant
to
do
;
his
one
idea
was
that
he
must
face
his
daughter
's
betrayer
,
and
tax
him
with
his
crime
.
He
did
not
very
much
care
what
came
after
.
But
the
long
tramp
through
England
,
broken
though
it
was
by
many
a
lift
from
good-natured
waggoners
,
had
given
him
time
for
thinking
.
Reflection
did
not
soften
his
resentment
.
On
the
contrary
,
the
more
he
thought
,
the
harder
his
heart
felt
,
and
each
new
hour
of
solitary
musing
left
him
more
bitter
,
more
vindictive
,
more
angered
than
he
had
been
the
hour
before
.
His
wife
's
story
convicted
him
of
the
one
fault
from
which
he
had
always
believed
himself
to
be
free
—
blind
stupidity
.
The
loss
of
his
daughter
had
never
been
out
of
his
mind
for
half
an
hour
at
a
time
since
she
had
gone
away
,
and
he
had
thought
and
thought
,
till
his
brain
had
seemed
to
spin
round
,
over
every
least
detail
of
her
flight
,
and
of
the
time
just
before
it
,
in
the
hope
of
finding
out
who
was
her
betrayer
.
And
yet
in
all
his
thinking
he
had
never
come
anywhere
near
the
truth
.
Other
people
had
,
though
;
he
knew
that
,
as
he
remembered
hints
he
had
sneered
at
from
some
of
the
least
brilliant
of
the
hands
—
fools
he
had
often
called
them
.
Yet
,
fools
as
they
were
,
they
had
been
able
to
see
more
clearly
than
he
,
the
father
,
whose
brain
sharpest
love
and
sorrow
ought
surely
to
have
had
power
to
quicken
.
Added
to
all
this
,
the
thought
that
he
had
gone
on
working
for
,
taking
the
money
of
,
and
,
to
a
certain
extent
,
living
in
a
condition
of
dependence
on
,
the
man
who
had
wronged
him
,
and
then
had
turned
him
out
on
to
the
world
,
stung
his
spirit
almost
to
madness
.
The
spring
woke
early
that
year
,
and
the
weather
was
bright
and
glad
,
the
air
clear
and
sweet
and
joyous
with
a
thousand
bird-voices
.
The
Midland
woods
and
hedges
that
he
passed
were
beginning
to
deck
themselves
in
the
fresh
greenness
of
their
new
spring
garments
.
Their
beauty
brought
no
peace
to
him
.
He
but
noticed
them
to
curse
their
monotony
and
apparent
endlessness
.
The
only
things
he
did
notice
with
anything
like
satisfaction
were
the
milestones
and
fingerposts
,
which
told
him
that
so
much
more
ground
had
been
got
over
.
He
put
up
at
night
at
the
cheapest
and
poorest-looking
inns
he
could
find
.
They
were
good
enough
to
lie
awake
in
,
for
his
feverish
longing
and
impatience
to
reach
his
end
almost
consumed
him
and
made
sleep
an
impossibility
.
Eager
as
he
was
to
get
on
,
he
had
self-restraint
enough
to
spend
none
of
his
store
of
money
—
such
a
little
store
as
it
was
—
on
travelling
.
Roland
Ferrier
might
not
be
at
Thornsett
after
all
,
and
he
might
have
to
follow
him
,
or
mayhap
return
to
Dartford
and
bide
his
time
;
and
so
,
though
his
progress
was
straight
and
steady
it
was
slow
,
and
he
did
not
reach
Thornsett
until
the
night
that
had
witnessed
the
explanations
between
the
brothers
.
He
had
done
more
than
twenty-five
miles
that
day
,
and
he
was
footsore
and
tired
out
when
,
as
night
was
falling
,
he
reached
the
top
of
the
hill
at
whose
foot
lay
the
village
which
had
been
his
home
for
thirty
years
.
All
along
he
had
been
determined
to
make
straight
for
Thornsett
Edge
,
and
to
confront
Roland
at
once
.
He
felt
that
the
young
man
might
be
surprised
into
more
admissions
than
he
would
choose
to
make
if
he
were
prepared
.
But
physical
fatigue
is
wonderfully
effective
in
upsetting
mental
decision
.
Hatfield
felt
that
neither
in
body
nor
in
mind
was
he
fit
to
go
through
at
once
with
the
part
he
had
chosen
.
He
must
rest
—
sleep
,
if
possible
.
He
threw
himself
down
on
the
heather
by
the
pathside
,
and
leaned
his
head
on
his
arm
,
while
he
debated
what
to
do
.
Nature
decided
for
him
,
and
he
fell
asleep
.
When
he
woke
,
a
young
moon
was
shining
coldly
down
upon
him
.
He
felt
stiff
,
and
not
rested
.
The
heather
was
wet
with
night-dew
.
How
late
was
it
?
He
thought
by
the
moon
about
eight
o'clock
.
He
would
go
down
to
the
village
and
see
who
was
left
in
the
old
place
;
perhaps
he
might
get
a
lodging
there
.
The
Spotted
Cow
was
closed
,
he
had
heard
.
He
limped
down
the
steep
stony
street
.
There
were
no
lights
to
be
seen
.
As
he
reached
the
house
that
had
been
his
,
he
saw
that
it
was
empty
,
and
a
longing
came
over
him
to
get
inside
it
.
Why
not
sleep
there
?
So
,
turning
aside
,
he
went
up
the
three
stone
steps
and
along
the
narrow
paved
pathway
that
ran
under
the
windows
separating
the
house
from
the
tiny
front
garden
.
His
hand
fell
on
the
latch
of
the
door
quite
naturally
,
and
it
never
occurred
to
him
that
it
would
not
yield
to
his
touch
as
it
had
been
wont
to
do
.
But
it
did
not
yield
.
He
was
in
that
frame
of
mind
when
any
resistance
is
intolerable
.
He
drew
back
and
then
threw
himself
against
the
door
with
all
his
weight
.
It
gave
way
noisily
and
he
went
in
.
He
passed
round
the
wooden
screen
,
and
stood
in
the
middle
of
the
flagged
floor
.
To
return
to
a
house
where
we
have
been
happy
,
even
if
we
have
left
it
for
greater
happiness
,
is
always
sad
if
not
painful
;
but
to
go
back
to
a
house
that
seems
to
hold
within
its
desolate
walls
,
not
only
all
our
memories
but
all
our
possibilities
of
happiness
—
when
we
have
left
it
in
sorrow
,
to
take
back
to
it
an
added
load
of
new
,
unexpected
,
intolerable
trouble
—
this
,
let
us
be
thankful
,
is
not
given
to
many
of
us
.
John
Hatfield
could
not
bear
it
.
He
cast
one
look
round
at
the
dark
,
