By the rail of his transport, as far—­about two feet—­as he could get from anyone, Cyril Morland stood watching Calais, a dream city, brighten out of the heat and grow solid.  He could hear the guns already, the voice of his new life-talking in the distance.  It came with its strange excitement into a being held by soft and marvellous memories, by one long vision of Noel and the moonlit grass, under the dark Abbey wall.  This moment of passage from wonder to wonder was quite too much for a boy unused to introspection, and he stood staring stupidly at Calais, while the thunder of his new life came rolling in on that passionate moonlit dream.

VII

After the emotions of those last three days Pierson woke with the feeling a ship must have when it makes landfall.  Such reliefs are natural, and as a rule delusive; for events are as much the parents of the future as they were the children of the past.  To be at home with both his girls, and resting—­for his holiday would not be over for ten days—­was like old times.  Now George was going on so well Gratian would be herself again; now Cyril Morland was gone Noel would lose that sudden youthful love fever.  Perhaps in two or three days if George continued to progress, one might go off with Noel somewhere for one’s last week.  In the meantime the old house, wherein was gathered so much remembrance of happiness and pain, was just as restful as anywhere else, and the companionship of his girls would be as sweet as on any of their past rambling holidays in Wales or Ireland.  And that first morning of perfect idleness—­for no one knew he was back in London—­pottering, and playing the piano in the homely drawing-room where nothing to speak of was changed since his wife’s day, was very pleasant.  He had not yet seen the girls, for Noel did not come down to breakfast, and Gratian was with George.

Discovery that there was still a barrier between him and them came but slowly in the next two days.  He would not acknowledge it, yet it was there, in their voices, in their movements—­rather an absence of something old than the presence of something new.  It was as if each had said to him:  “We love you, but you are not in our secrets—­and you must not be, for you would try to destroy them.”  They showed no fear of him, but seemed to be pushing him unconsciously away, lest he should restrain or alter what was very dear to them.  They were both fond of him, but their natures had set foot on definitely diverging paths.  The closer the affection, the more watchful they were against interference by that affection.  Noel had a look on her face, half dazed, half proud, which touched, yet vexed him.  What had he done to forfeit her confidence—­surely she must see how natural and right his opposition had been!  He made one great effort to show the real sympathy he felt for her.  But she only said:  “I can’t talk of Cyril, Daddy; I simply can’t!” And he, who easily shrank into his shell, could not but acquiesce in her reserve.