Part 36 (1/2)

And almost involuntarily Malling found himself echoing:

”Yes, now it will all be different.”

He had seen, he had heard, enough to make his report to the professor, and he resolved to go. He held out his hand.

”Oh, but,” said Chichester, pressing one hand to his forehead, ”I'm so selfish, so forgetful in my great grief! Surely you said you had come on some matter of importance.”

”It will wait,” said Malling. ”Another day. Go and rest now. You need rest. Any one can see that.”

”Thank you, thank you,” said Chichester, with quivering lips. ”You are very thoughtful, very good.”

Malling took his hand in farewell. As he did so there was a sharp knock at the front door. Chichester started violently.

”Oh, I do hope it is no one for me!” he cried out. ”I cannot--”

He opened the door of the sitting-room a little way and listened. Voices were audible below, Ellen's voice and another woman's.

”You, ma'am! Oh, of course he will see you!”

”Of course.”

”I didn't know who it was, ma'am.”

”Is it this way?”

”Yes, ma'am. I'll show you. We do feel it, ma'am. The poor gentleman used to come here so often of nights.”

”Did he? I didn't know that.”

Malling recognized the second voice as Lady Sophia's. A moment, and she was ushered into the room. She was dressed in black, but not in widow's weeds, and wore a veil which she pushed hastily up as she came in almost with a rush. When she saw Malling, for a moment she looked disconcerted.

”Oh, I thought--” she began. She stood still. Chichester said nothing, and did not move. Malling went toward her.

”I was very much grieved,” he said, ”at the news I heard to-day.”

She gave him her hand. He knew his words were conventional. How could they be anything else? But Lady Sophia's manner in giving him her hand was not conventional. She stretched it out without even looking at him.

She said nothing. Her eyes were fixed upon Chichester, who stood on the other side of the little room in a rigid att.i.tude, with his eyes cast down, as if he could not bear to see the woman who had just entered.

”I offer you my sympathy,” Malling added.

”Sympathy!” said Lady Sophia, with a sharp note in her voice suggestive of intense, almost febrile excitement. ”Then didn't you know?”

She stared at him, turning her head swiftly.

”Know?”

”That I had left him? Yes, I left him, and now he is dead. Do you expect me to be sorry? Well, I am not sorry. Ah, I see you don't understand!”

She made a movement toward Chichester. It was obvious that she was so intensely excited that she had lost the power of self-control.