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low tones。 To hear their voices brought back the touch of this world
of everyday which had no part or lot in the terrifying powers within
her。
Dawney slept at the Villa now。 In the dead of night he was awakened
by a light flashed in his eyes。 Christian was standing there； her
face pale and wild with terror； her hair falling in dark masses on
her shoulders。
〃Save him！ Save him！〃 she cried。 〃Quick！ The bleeding！〃
He saw her muffle her face in her white sleeves； and seizing the
candle； leaped out of bed and rushed away。
The internal haemorrhage had come again； and Nicholas Treffry wavered
between life and death。 When it had ceased； he sank into a sort of
stupor。 About six o'clock he came back to consciousness； watching
his eyes； they could see a mental struggle taking place within him。
At last he singled Christian out from the others by a sign。
〃I'm beat； Chris；〃 he whispered。 〃Let him know； I want to see him。〃
His voice grew a little stronger。 〃I thought that I could see it
throughbut here's the end。〃 He lifted his hand ever so little； and
let it fall again。 When told a little later that a telegram had been
sent to Harz his eyes expressed satisfaction。
Herr Paul came down in ignorance of the night's events。 He stopped
in front of the barometer and tapped it； remarking to Miss Naylor：
〃The glass has gone downstairs； we shall have cool weatherit will
still go well with him！〃
When； with her brown face twisted by pity and concern； she told him
that it was a question of hours； Herr Paul turned first purple； then
pale； and sitting down； trembled violently。 〃I cannot believe it；〃
he exclaimed almost angrily。 〃Yesterday he was so well！ I cannot
believe it！ Poor Nicholas！ Yesterday he spoke to me！〃 Taking Miss
Naylor's hand； he clutched it in his own。 〃Ah！〃 he cried； letting it
go suddenly； and striking at his forehead； 〃it is too terrible； only
yesterday he spoke to me of sherry。 Is there nobody； then； who can
do good？〃
〃There is only God；〃 replied Miss Naylor softly。
〃God？〃 said Herr Paul in a scared voice。
〃Wecanallpray to Him；〃 Miss Naylor murmured； little spots of
colour came into her cheeks。 〃I am going to do it now。〃
Herr Paul raised her hand and kissed it。
〃Are you？〃 he said； 〃good！ I too。〃 He passed through his study door；
closed it carefully behind him； then for some unknown reason set his
back against it。 Ugh！ Death！ It came to all！ Some day it would come
to him。 It might come tomorrow！ One must pray！
The day dragged to its end。 In the sky clouds had mustered； and；
crowding close on one another； clung round the sun； soft； thick；
greywhite； like the feathers on a pigeon's breast。 Towards evening
faint tremblings were felt at intervals； as from the shock of
immensely distant earthquakes。
Nobody went to bed that night； but in the morning the report was the
same： 〃Unconsciousa question of hours。〃 Once only did he recover
consciousness； and then asked for Harz。 A telegram had come from
him； he was on the way。 Towards seven of the evening the long…
expected storm broke in a sky like ink。 Into the valleys and over
the crests of mountains it seemed as though an unseen hand were
spilling goblets of pale wine； darting a sword…blade zigzag over
trees； roofs； spires； peaks； into the very firmament； which answered
every thrust with great bursts of groaning。 Just beyond the veranda
Greta saw a glowworm shining； as it might be a tiny bead of the
fallen lightning。 Soon the rain covered everything。 Sometimes a jet
of light brought the hilltops； towering； dark； and hard； over the
house； to disappear again behind the raindrops and shaken leaves。
Each breath drawn by the storm was like the clash of a thousand
cymbals； and in his room Mr。 Treffry lay unconscious of its fury。
Greta had crept in unobserved； and sat curled in a corner； with
Scruff in her arms； rocking slightly to and fro。 When Christian
passed； she caught her skirt； and whispered： 〃It is your birthday；
Chris！〃
Mr。 Treffry stirred。
〃What's that？ Thunder？it's cooler。 Where am I？ Chris！〃
Dawney signed for her to take his place。
〃Chris！〃 Mr。 Treffry said。 〃It's near now。〃 She bent across him；
and her tears fell on his forehead。
〃Forgive！〃 she whispered； 〃love me！〃
He raised his finger； and touched her cheek。
For an hour or more he did not speak； though once or twice he moaned；
and faintly tightened his pressure on her fingers。 The storm had
died away； but very far off the thunder was still muttering。
His eyes opened once more； rested on her； and passed beyond； into
that abyss dividing youth from age； conviction from conviction； life
from death。
At the foot of the bed Dawney stood covering his face； behind him
Dominique knelt with hands held upwards； the sound of Greta's
breathing； soft in sleep； rose and fell in the stillness。
XXIX
One afternoon in March； more than three years after Mr。 Treffry's
death； Christian was sitting at the window of a studio in St。 John's
Wood。 The sky was covered with soft； high clouds； through which
shone little gleams of blue。 Now and then a bright shower fell；
sprinkling the trees； where every twig was curling upwards as if
waiting for the gift of its new leaves。 And it seemed to her that
the boughs thickened and budded under her very eyes； a great
concourse of sparrows had gathered on those boughs； and kept raising
a shrill chatter。 Over at the far side of the room Harz was working
at a picture。
On Christian's face was the quiet smile of one who knows that she has
only to turn her eyes to see what she wishes to see； of one whose
possessions are safe under her hand。 She looked at Harz with that
possessive smile。 But as into the brain of one turning in his bed
grim fancies will suddenly leap up out of warm nothingness； so there
leaped into her mind the memory of that long ago dawn； when he had
found her kneeling by Mr。 Treffry's body。 She seemed to see again
the dead face； so gravely quiet； and furrowless。 She seemed to see
her lover and herself setting forth silently along the river wall
where they had first met； sitting down； still silent； beneath the
poplar…tree where the little bodies of the chafers had lain strewn in
the Spring。 To see the trees changing from black to grey； from grey
to green； and in the dark sky long white lines of cloud； lighting to
the south like birds； and； very far away； rosy peaks watching the
awakening of the earth。 And now once again； after all that time；
she felt her spirit shrink away from his； as it had shrunk in that
hour； when she had seemed hateful to herself。 She remembered the
words she had spoken： 〃I have no heart left。 You've torn it in two
between you。 Love is all selfI wanted him to die。〃 She remembered
too the raindrops on the vines like a million tiny lamps； and the
throstle that began singing。 Then； as dreams die out into warm
nothingness； recollection vanished； and the smile came back to her
lips。
She took out a letter。
〃。。。。O Chris！ We are really coming； I seem to be always telling it
to myself； and I have told Scruff many times； but he does not care；
because he is getting old。 Miss Naylor says we shall arrive for
breakfast； and that we shall be hungry； but perhaps she will not be
very hungry； if it is rough。 Papa said to me： 'Je serai
inconsolable； mais inconsolable！' But I think he will not be；
because he is going to Vienna。 When we are come； there will be
nobody at Villa Rubein； Aunt Constance has gone a fortnight ago to
Florence。 There is a young man at her hotel； she says he will be one
of the greatest playwriters in England； and she sent me a play of his
to read； it was only a little about love； I did not like it very
much。。。。 O Chris！ I think I shall cry when I see you。 As I am quite
grown up； Miss Naylor is not to come back with me； sometimes she is
sad； but she will be glad to see you； Chris。 She seems always sadder
when it is Spring。 Today I walked along the wall； the little green
balls of wool are growing on the poplars already； and I saw one
chafer； it will not be long before the cherry blossom comes； and I
felt so funny； sad and happy together； and once I thought that I had
wings and could fly away up the valley to Meranbut I had none； so I
sat on the bench where we sat the day we took the pictures； and I
thought and thought； there was nothing came to me in my thoughts； but
all was sweet and a little noisy； and rather sad； it was like the
buzzing of the chafer； in my head； and now I feel so tired and all my
blood is running up and down me。 I do not mind； because I know it is
the Spring。
〃Dominique came to see us the other day； he is very well； and is half
the proprietor of the Adler Hotel； at Meran； he is not at all
different； and he asked about you and about Aloisdo you know；
Chris；