They had heard, by involuntarily overhearing about as much as may be heard in such positions, a luminous word or two.

The lady did not answer.  A movement among the ferns attracted Adrian, and he stepped down the decline across the pine-roots to behold heavy Benson below; shaking fern-seed and spidery substances off his crumpled skin.

“Is that you, Mr. Hadrian?” called Benson, starting, as he puffed, and exercised his handkerchief.

“Is it you, Benson, who have had the audacity to spy upon these Mysteries?” Adrian called back, and coming close to him, added, “You look as if you had just been well thrashed.”

“Isn’t it dreadful, sir?” snuffled Benson.  “And his father in ignorance, Mr. Hadrian!”

“He shall know, Benson!  He shall know how, you have endangered your valuable skin in his service.  If Mr. Richard had found you there just now I wouldn’t answer for the consequences.”

“Ha!” Benson spitefully retorted.  “This won’t go on; Mr. Hadrian.  It shan’t, sir.  It will be put a stop to tomorrow, sir.  I call it corruption of a young gentleman like him, and harlotry, sir, I call it.  I’d have every jade flogged that made a young innocent gentleman go on like that, sir.”

“Then, why didn’t you stop it yourself, Benson?  Ah, I see! you waited—­ what?  This is not the first time you have been attendant on Apollo and Miss Dryope?  You have written to headquarters?”

“I did my duty, Mr. Hadrian.”

The wise youth returned to Lady Blandish, and informed her of Benson’s zeal.  The lady’s eyes flashed.  “I hope Richard will treat him as he deserves,” she said.

“Shall we home?” Adrian inquired.

“Do me a favour;” the lady replied.  “Get my carriage sent round to meet me at the park-gates.”

“Won’t you?”—­

“I want to be alone.”

Adrian bowed and left her.  She was still sitting with her hands clasped round one knee, gazing towards the dim ray-strewn valley.

“An odd creature!” muttered the wise youth.  “She’s as odd as any of them.  She ought to be a Feverel.  I suppose she’s graduating for it.  Hang that confounded old ass of a Benson!  He has had the impudence to steal a march on me!”

The shadow of the cypress was lessening on the lake.  The moon was climbing high.  As Richard rowed the boat, Lucy, sang to him softly.  She sang first a fresh little French song, reminding him of a day when she had been asked to sing to him before, and he did not care to hear.  “Did I live?” he thinks.  Then she sang to him a bit of one of those majestic old Gregorian chants, that, wherever you may hear them, seem to build up cathedral walls about you.  The young man dropped the sculls.  The strange solemn notes gave a religions tone to his love, and wafted him into the knightly ages and the reverential heart of chivalry.

Hanging between two heavens on the lake:  floating to her voice:  the moon stepping over and through white shoal’s of soft high clouds above and below:  floating to her void—­no other breath abroad!  His soul went out of his body as he listened.