not only lovely:  destiny had marked her for a high career; to leave her as she was would be to miscast one who deserved to play the great tragic part, which cannot be played without the actress’s heart beating at the prospect of so great a role.  Oh, there was no going back!  But he perceived he must be very clever about it.  He must make it all as easy as possible for her.  His heart contracted with tenderness as he took vows that could not have been more religious if they had been made concerning celibacy instead of concerning marriage.  He regretted he was an Atheist.  He had felt this before in moments of urgency, for blasphemy abhors a vacuum, but now he wanted some white high thing to swear by; something armed with powers of eternal punishment to chastise him if he broke his oath.  He found that his eyes were swimming with tears.  Yes, tears!  Oh, she had extended life to limits he had not dreamed of!  He had never thought he would laugh out loud as he had done to-night.  He had never thought his eyes would grow wet as they were doing now.  And it was good.  He looked at her in gratitude, and found her looking at him.

“Fancy you being miserable!  And me,” she reproached herself, “thinking that everybody was happy but myself!  Dear....”  She rose to it, walking down to the cold water.  “Let’s marry soon.”

The sequence of thought was to be followed easily.  She was willing to take this step, which for reasons she did not understand made her flesh goose-grained with horror, because she thought she could prevent him from being unhappy.  “Oh, Ellen!” he cried out, and buried his head on her bosom.  “I want—­I want to deserve you.  I will work all my life to be good enough for you.”  He felt the happiness of a man who has found a religion.

They heard a key turning in the front door.  Ellen slipped off his knee and stood, first one foot behind the other, balanced on the ball of one foot, a finger to her lips, in the attitude of a frightened nymph.  Then she recovered herself, and stood sturdily on both feet with her hands behind her.  How he adored her, this nymph who wanted to look like Mr. Gladstone!

Mrs. Melville, pitifully blown about, a most ruffled little bird, appeared at the door.  She was amazed.  “Mr. Yaverland!  In the kitchen!  And, Ellen, what are you doing in your stocking feet?  Away and take Mr. Yaverland into the parlour!”

“He came in here himself,” said Ellen.  She had become a little girl, a guilty little girl.

Yaverland caught Mrs. Melville’s eye and held it for a fraction of an instant.  She mustn’t know they had talked of it before.  That would never do, for a modern woman.  “Mrs. Melville,” he said, “I’ve asked Ellen to marry me.”