When I came, I found the whole court in an uproar.  The sister of the woman, who had been watching for me, stood on the doorstep, and implored me to go away.  The husband had gone out of his senses with rage because I had cut his wife’s hair without his consent.  ‘He’ll murder you, Nuss!’ said the sister, ’if he sees you!  Don’t come in!—­he’s mad—­he’s been going round on ’is ’ands and knees on the floor!’”—­Hallin interrupted with a shout of laughter.  Marcella laughed too; but to his amazement he saw that her hand shook, and that there were tears in her eyes.

“It’s all very well,” she said with a sigh, “but I had to come away in disgrace, all the street looking on.  And he made such a fuss at the office as never was.  It was unfortunate—­we don’t want the people set against the nurses.  And now Dr. Blank!—­I seem to be always getting into scrapes.  It is different from hospital, where everything is settled for one.”

Hallin could hardly believe his ears.  Such womanish terrors and depressions from Marcella Boyce!  Was she, after all, too young for the work, or was there some fret of the soul reducing her natural force?  He felt an unwonted impulse of tenderness towards her—­such as one might feel towards a tired child—­and set himself to cheer and rest her.

He had succeeded to some extent, when he saw her give a little start, and following her eyes he perceived that unconsciously his arm, which was resting on the table, had pushed into her view a photograph in a little frame, which had been hitherto concealed from her by a glass of flowers.  He would have quietly put it out of sight again, but she sat up in her chair.

“Will you give it me?” she said, putting out her hand.

He gave it her at once.

“Alice brought it home from Miss Raeburn the other day.  His aunt made him sit to one of the photographers who are always besieging public men.  We thought it good.”

“It is very good,” she said, after a pause.  “Is the hair really—­as grey as that?” She pointed to it.

“Quite.  I am very glad that he is going off with Lord Maxwell to Italy.  It will be ten days’ break for him at any rate.  His work this last year has been very heavy.  He has had his grandfather’s to do really, as well as his own; and this Commission has been a stiff job too.  I am rather sorry that he has taken this new post.”

“What post?”

“Didn’t you hear?  They have made him Under-secretary to the Home Department.  So that he is now in the Government.”

She put back the photograph, and moved her chair a little so as to see more of the plane trees and the strips of sunset cloud.

“How is Lord Maxwell?” she asked presently.

“Much changed.  It might end in a sudden break-up at any time.”

Hallin saw a slight contraction pass over her face.  He knew that she had always felt an affection for Lord Maxwell.  Suddenly Marcella looked hastily round her.  Miss Hallin was busy with a little servant at the other end of the room making arrangements for supper.