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of happinessnot hers； not mine。 You can't dare to stop us； sir！〃
〃Dare？〃 said Mr。 Treffry。 〃Her father gave her over to me when she
was a mite of a little thing； I've known her all her life。 I've
I've loved herand you come here with your 'dare'！ 〃 His hand
dragged at his beard； and shook as though palsied。
A look of terror came into Christian's face。
〃All right； Chris！ I don't ask for quarter； and I don't give it！〃
Harz made a gesture of despair。
〃I've acted squarely by you； sir；〃 Mr。 Treffry went on； 〃I ask the
same of you。 I ask you to wait； and come like an honest man； when
you can say； 'I see my wayhere's this and that for her。' What
makes this art you talk of different from any other call in life？ It
doesn't alter facts； or give you what other men have no right to
expect。 It doesn't put grit into you； or keep your hands clean； or
prove that two and two make five。〃
Harz answered bitterly：
〃You know as much of art as I know of money。 If we live a thousand
years we shall never understand each other。 I am doing what I feel
is best for both of us。〃
Mr。 Treffry took hold of the painter's sleeve。
〃I make you an offer；〃 he said。 〃Your word not to see or write to
her for a year！ Then； position or not； money or no money； if she'll
have you； I'll make it right for you。〃
〃I could not take your money。〃
A kind of despair seemed suddenly to seize on Mr。 Nicholas Treffry。
He rose； and stood towering over them。
〃All my life〃 he said； but something seemed to click deep down in
his throat； and he sank back in his seat。
〃Go！〃 whispered Christian； 〃go！〃 But Mr。 Treffry found his voice
again： 〃It's for the child to say。 Well； Chris！〃
Christian did not speak。
It was Harz who broke the silence。 He pointed to Mr。 Treffry。
〃You know I can't tell you to come withthat； there。 Why did you
send for me？〃 And； turning； he went out。
Christian sank on her knees； burying her face in her hands。 Mr。
Treffry pressed his handkerchief with a stealthy movement to his
mouth。 It was dyed crimson with the price of his victory。
XXVI
A telegram had summoned Herr Paul from Vienna。 He had started
forthwith； leaving several unpaid accounts to a more joyful
opportunity； amongst them a chemist's bill； for a wonderful quack
medicine of which he brought six bottles。
He came from Mr。 Treffry's room with tears rolling down his cheeks；
saying：
〃Poor Nicholas！ Poor Nicholas！ Il n'a pas de chance！〃
It was difficult to find any one to listen； the women were scared and
silent； waiting for the orders that were now and then whispered
through the door。 Herr Paul could not bear this silence； and talked
to his servant for half an hour； till Fritz also vanished to fetch
something from the town。 Then in despair Herr Paul went to his room。
It was hard not to be allowed to helpit was hard to wait！ When the
heart was suffering； it was frightful！ He turned and； looking
furtively about him； lighted a cigar。 Yes； it came to every oneat
some time or other； and what was it； that death they talked of？ Was
it any worse than life？ That frightful jumble people made for
themselves！ Poor Nicholas！ After all； it was he that had the luck！
His eyes filled with tears； and drawing a penknife from his pocket；
he began to stab it into the stuffing of his chair。 Scruff； who sat
watching the chink of light under the door； turned his head； blinked
at him； and began feebly tapping with a claw。
It was intolerable； this uncertaintyto be near； and yet so far； was
not endurable！
Herr Paul stepped across the room。 The dog； following； threw his
black…marked muzzle upwards with a gruff noise； and went back to the
door。 His master was holding in his hand a bottle of champagne。
Poor Nicholas！ He had chosen it。 Herr Paul drained a glass。
Poor Nicholas！ The prince of fellows； and of what use was one？ They
kept him away from Nicholas！
Herr Paul's eyes fell on the terrier。 〃Ach！ my dear；〃 he said； 〃you
and I； we alone are kept away！〃
He drained a second glass。
What was it？ This life！ Froth…like that！ He tossed off a third
glass。 Forget！ If one could not help； it was better to forget！
He put on his hat。 Yes。 There was no room for him there！ He was
not wanted！
He finished the bottle； and went out into the passage。 Scruff ran
and lay down at Mr。 Treffry's door。 Herr Paul looked at him。 〃Ach！〃
he said； tapping his chest； 〃ungrateful hound！〃 And opening the
front door he went out on tiptoe。。。。
Late that afternoon Greta stole hatless through the lilac bushes； she
looked tired after her night journey； and sat idly on a chair in the
speckled shadow of a lime…tree。
'It is not like home；' she thought； 'I am unhappy。 Even the birds
are silent； but perhaps that is because it is so hot。 I have never
been sad like thisfor it is not fancy that I am sad this time； as
it is sometimes。 It is in my heart like the sound the wind makes
through a wood； it feels quite empty in my heart。 If it is always
like this to be unhappy； then I am sorry for all the unhappy things
in the world； I am sorrier than I ever was before。'
A shadow fell on the grass； she raised her eyes； and saw Dawney。
〃Dr。 Edmund！〃 she whispered。
Dawney turned to her； a heavy furrow showed between his brows。 His
eyes； always rather close together； stared painfully。
〃Dr。 Edmund；〃 Greta whispered； 〃is it true？〃
He took her hand； and spread his own palm over it。
〃Perhaps；〃 he said； 〃perhaps not。 We must hope。〃
Greta looked up； awed。
〃They say he is dying。〃
〃We have sent for the best man in Vienna。〃
Greta shook her head。
〃But you are clever； Dr。 Edmund； and you are afraid。〃
〃He is brave；〃 said Dawney； 〃we must all be brave； you know。 You
too！〃
〃Brave？〃 repeated Greta； 〃what is it to be brave？ If it is not to
cry and make a fussthat I can do。 But if it is not to be sad in
here；〃 she touched her breast； 〃that I cannot do； and it shall not be
any good for me to try。〃
〃To be brave is to hope； don't give up hope； dear。〃
〃No；〃 said Greta； tracing the pattern of the sunlight on her skirt。
〃But I think that when we hope； we are not brave； because we are
expecting something for ourselves。 Chris says that hope is prayer；
and if it is prayer； then all the time we are hoping； we are asking
for something； and it is not brave to ask for things。〃
A smile curved Dawney's mouth。
〃Go on； Philosopher！〃 he said。 〃Be brave in your own way； it will be
just as good as anybody else's。〃
〃What are you going to do to be brave； Dr。 Edmund？〃
〃I？ Fight！ If only we had five years off his life！〃
Greta watched him as he walked away。
〃I shall never be brave；〃 she mourned； 〃I shall always be wanting to
be happy。〃 And； kneeling down； she began to disentangle a fly；
imprisoned in a cobweb。 A plant of hemlock had sprung up in the long
grass by her feet。 Greta thought； dismayed： 'There are weeds！'
It seemed but another sign of the death of joy。
'But it's very beautiful；' she thought； 'the blossoms are like stars。
I am not going to pull it up。 I will leave it； perhaps it will
spread all through the garden； and if it does I do not care； for now
things are not like they used to be and I do not； think they ever
shall be again。'
XXVII
The days went by； those long； hot days； when the heat haze swims up
about ten of the forenoon； and； as the sun sinks level with the
mountains； melts into golden ether which sets the world quivering
with sparkles。
At the lighting of the stars those sparkles die； vanishing one by one
off the hillsides； evening comes flying down the valleys； and life
rests under her cool wings。 The night falls； and the hundred little
voices of the night arise。
It was near grape…gathering； and in the heat the fight for Nicholas
Treffry's life went on； day in； day out； with gleams of hope and
moments of despair。 Doctors came； but after the first he refused to
see them。
〃No；〃 he said to Dawney 〃throwing away money。 If I pull through it
won't be because of them。〃
For days together he would allow no one but Dawney； Dominique； and
the paid nurse in the room。
〃I can stand it better；〃 he said to Christian； 〃when I don't see any
of you； keep away； old girl； and let me get on with it！〃
To have been able to help would have eased the tension of her nerves；
and the aching of her heart。 At his own request they had moved his
bed into a corner so that he might face the wall。 There he would lie
for hours together； not speaking a word； except to ask for drink。
Sometimes Christian crept in unnoticed； and sat watching； with her
arms tightly folded across her breast。 At night； after Greta was
asleep； she would toss from side to side； mutt