But she awoke from her dream frightened, and feeling like one who has lost the clue which was to lead her out of the labyrinth.

Instead of sending the footman to tell Lady Duckle that the carriage was waiting, Evelyn got out and went up to the drawing-room.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Olive, but I can’t go with you.  Tell Lady Ascott I am very sorry.  Good-night, I’m going to my room.”

“Oh, my dear Evelyn, not going ... and now that you’re dressed.”

Evelyn allowed herself to be persuaded.  If she went to bed now she would not sleep.  She went to the ball with Lady Duckle, and as she went round in the lancers, giving her hand first to one and then to the other, she heard a voice crying within her, “Why are you doing these things?  They don’t interest you at all.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“Eternal night, oh, lovely night, oh, holy night of love.”  Rapture succeeded rapture, and the souls of the lovers rose, nearer to the surface of life.  In a shudder of silver chords he saw them float away like little clouds towards the low rim of the universe.

But at that moment of escape reality broke in upon the dream.  Melot had betrayed them, and Ulick heard King Mark’s noble and grave reproaches like a prophecy, “Thou wert my friend and didst deceive me,” he sang, and his melancholy motive seemed to echo like a cry along the shore of Ulick’s own life.  Amid calm and mysteriously exalted melodies, expressive of the terror and pathos of fate fulfilled, Tristan’s resolve took shape, and as he fell mortally wounded, the melancholy Mark motive was heard again, and again Ulick asked what meaning it might have for him.  He heard the applause, loud in the stalls, growing faint as it rose tier above tier.  Baskets of flowers, wreaths and bouquets were thrown from the boxes or handed up from the orchestra, the curtain was rung up again, and her name was called from different parts of the theatre.  And when the curtain was down for the last time, he saw her in the middle of the stage talking to Tristan and Brangaene.  The garden scene was being carried away, and to escape from it Evelyn took Tristan’s hand and ran to the spot where Ulick was standing.  She loosed the hand of her stage lover, and dropping a bouquet, held out two small hands to Ulick covered with violet powder.  The hallucination of the great love scene was still in her eyes; it still, he could see, surged in her blood.  She had nearly thrown herself into his arms, seemed regardless of those around; she seemed to have only eyes for him; he heard her say under her breath,” That music maddens me,” then with sudden composure, but looking at him intently, she asked him to come upstairs with her.