I was too much startled by this strange complaint to know what to say.  It was not my own trouble, and I answered it in the conventional way.

“They are not as we are, sir,” I said; “they look upon us with larger, other eyes than ours.”

“Ah! you don’t know what I mean,” he said quickly; and in the interval he had subdued his emotion.  “At first, after she died, it was my consolation to think that I should meet her again,—­that we never could be really parted.  But, my God, how I have changed since then!  I am another man,—­I am a different being.  I was not very young even then,—­twenty years older than she was; but her youth renewed mine.  I was not an unfit partner; she asked no better, and knew as much more than I did in some things,—­being so much nearer the source,—­as I did in others that were of the world.  But I have gone a long way since then, Phil,—­a long way; and there she stands, just where I left her.”

I pressed his arm again.  “Father,” I said, which was a title I seldom used, “we are not to suppose that in a higher life the mind stands still.”  I did not feel myself qualified to discuss such topics, but something one must say.

“Worse, worse!” he replied; “then she too will be, like me, a different being, and we shall meet as what? as strangers, as people who have lost sight of each other, with a long past between us,—­we who parted, my God! with—­with—­”

His voice broke and ended for a moment then while, surprised and almost shocked by what he said, I cast about in my mind what to reply, he withdrew his arm suddenly from mine, and said in his usual tone, “Where shall we hang the picture, Phil?  It must be here in this room.  What do you think will be the best light?”

This sudden alteration took me still more by surprise, and gave me almost an additional shock; but it was evident that I must follow the changes of his mood, or at least the sudden repression of sentiment which he originated.  We went into that simpler question with great seriousness, consulting which would be the best light.  “You know I can scarcely advise,” I said; “I have never been familiar with this room.  I should like to put off, if you don’t mind, till daylight.”

“I think,” he said, “that this would be the best place.”  It was on the other side of the fireplace, on the wall which faced the windows,—­not the best light, I knew enough to be aware, for an oil-painting.  When I said so, however, he answered me with a little impatience, “It does not matter very much about the best light; there will be nobody to see it but you and me.  I have my reasons—­” There was a small table standing against the wall at this spot, on which he had his hand as he spoke.  Upon it stood a little basket in very fine lace-like wicker-work.  His hand must have trembled, for the table shook, and the basket fell, its contents turning out upon the carpet,—­little bits of needlework, colored silks, a small piece of knitting half done.  He laughed as they rolled out at his feet, and tried to stoop to collect them, then tottered to a chair, and covered for a moment his face with his hands.