“Possibly it is a question of health,” said Malling, rather sharply.  “Tell me how it began.”

“When Chichester first joined me, I was a man of power and ambition.  I was a man who could dominate others, and I loved to dominate.”

His strength seemed returning while he spoke, as if frankness were to him a restorative of the spirit.

“It was indeed my passion.  I loved authority.  I loved to be in command.  I was full of ecclesiastical ambition.  Feeling that I had intellectual strength, I intended to rise to the top of the church, to become a bishop eventually, perhaps even something greater.  When I was presented to St. Joseph’s,—­my wife’s social influence had something to do with that,—­I saw all the gates opening before me.  I made a great effect in London.  I may say with truth that no clergyman was more successful than I was—­at one time.  My wife spurred me on.  She was immensely ambitious for me.  I must tell you that in marrying me she had gone against all her family.  They thought me quite unworthy of her notice.  But from the first time I met her I meant to marry her.  And as I dominated others, I completely dominated her.  But she, once married to me, was desperately anxious that I should rise in the world, in order that her choice of me might be justified in the eyes of her people.  You can understand the position, I dare say?”

“Perfectly,” said Malling.

“I may say that she irritated my ambition, that she stung it into almost a furious activity.  Women have great influence with us.  I thought she was my slave almost, but I see now that she also influenced me.  She worshiped me for my immediate success at St. Joseph’s.  You may think it very ridiculous, considering that I am merely the rector of a fashionable London church, but there was a time when I felt almost intoxicated by my wife’s worship of me, and by my domination over the crowds who came to hear me preach.  Domination!  That was my fetish!  That was what led me to—­oh, sometimes I think it must end in my ruin!”

“Perhaps not,” said Malling, quietly.  “Let us see.”

His words, perhaps even more his manner, seemed greatly to help Mr. Harding.

“I will tell you everything,” he exclaimed.  “From the first I have felt as if you were the man to assist me, if any man could.  I had always, since I was an undergraduate at Oxford,—­I was a Magdalen man,—­been interested in psychical matters, and followed carefully all the proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research.  I had also at that time,—­in Oxford,—­made some experiments with my college friends, chiefly in connection with will power.  My influence seemed to be specially strong.  But I need not go into all that.  After leaving Oxford and taking orders, for a long time I gave such matters up.  I feared, if I showed my strong interest in psychical research, especially if I was known to attend seances or anything of that kind, it might be considered unsuitable in a clergyman, and might injure my prospects.  It was not until Henry Chichester came to St. Joseph’s that I was tempted again into paths which I had chosen to consider forbidden to me.  Chichester tempted me!  Chichester tempted me!”