The hansom that bowled along eastward—­at most unnecessary speed—­bore two of the happiest human beings within the wide boundaries of the town.  I looked at my companion as the lights of the street shone into the cab, and was astonished at the transformation.  The pallor of her cheek had given place to a rosy pink; the hardness, the tension, the haggard self-repression that had aged her face, were all gone, and the girlish sweetness that had so bewitched me in the early days of our love had stolen back.  Even the dimple was there when the sweeping lashes lifted and her eyes met mine in a smile of infinite tenderness.  Little was said on that brief journey.  It was happiness enough to sit, hand clasped in hand, and know that our time of trial was past; that no cross of Fate could ever part us now.

The astonished cabman set us down, according to instructions, at the entrance to Nevill’s Court, and watched us with open mouth as we vanished into the narrow passage.  The court had settled down for the night, and no one marked our return; no curious eye looked down on us from the dark house-front as we said “Good-bye” just inside the gate.

“You will come and see us to-morrow, dear, won’t you?” she asked.

“Do you think it possible that I could stay away, then?”

“I hope not.  But come as early as you can.  My father will be positively frantic to see you; because I shall have told him, you know.  And, remember, that it is you who have brought us this great deliverance.  Good night, Paul.”

“Good night, sweetheart.”

She put up her face frankly to be kissed and then ran up to the ancient door; whence she waved me a last good-bye.  The shabby gate in the wall closed behind me and hid her from my sight; but the light of her love went with me and turned the dull street into a path of glory.

CHAPTER XIX

A STRANGE SYMPOSIUM

It came upon me with something of a shock of surprise to find the scrap of paper still tacked to the oak of Thorndyke’s chambers.  So much had happened since I had last looked on it that it seemed to belong to another epoch of my life.  I removed it thoughtfully and picked out the tack before entering, and then, closing the inner door, but leaving the oak open, I lit the gas and fell to pacing the room.

What a wonderful episode it had been!  How the whole aspect of the world had been changed in a moment by Thorndyke’s revelation!  At another time, curiosity would have led me to endeavour to trace back the train of reasoning by which the subtle brain of my teacher had attained this astonishing conclusion.  But now my own happiness held exclusive possession of my thoughts.  The image of Ruth filled the field of my mental vision.  I saw her again as I had seen her in the cab with her sweet, pensive face and downcast eyes; I felt again the touch of her soft cheek and the parting kiss by the gate, so frank and simple, so intimate and final.