He pleaded for the red mouth’s pardon, remotely irritated by the suspicion that she swayed him overmuch:  and he had deserved the small benevolences and donations of love, crumbs and heavenly dews!

‘Not a word of pardon,’ said Diana.  ’I shall never count an iota against you “in the dark backward and abysm of Time.”  This news is great, and I have sunk beneath it.  Come tomorrow.  Then we will speak upon whatever you can prove rational.  The hour is getting late.’

Dacier took a draught of her dark beauty with the crimson he had kindled over the cheeks.  Her lips were firmly closed, her eyes grave; dry, but seeming to waver tearfully in their heavy fulness.  He could not doubt her love of him; and although chafing at the idea that she swayed him absurdly—­beyond the credible in his world of wag-tongues—­he resumed his natural soberness, as a garment, not very uneasily fitting:  whence it ensued—­for so are we influenced by the garb we put on us—­that his manly sentiment of revolt in being condemned to play second, was repressed by the refreshment breathed on him from her lofty character, the pure jewel proffered to his, inward ownership.

‘Adieu for the night,’ he said, and she smiled.  He pressed for a pressure of her hand.  She brightened her smile instead, and said only:  ’Good night, Percy.’

CHAPTER XXXII

WHEREIN WE BEHOLD A GIDDY TURN AT THE SPECTRAL CROSSWAYS

Danvers accompanied Mr. Dacier to the house-door.  Climbing the stairs, she found her mistress in the drawing-room still.

‘You must be cold, ma’am,’ she said, glancing at the fire-grate.

‘Is it a frost?’ said Diana.

‘It’s midnight and midwinter, ma’am.’

‘Has it struck midnight?’

The mantel-piece clock said five minutes past.

’You had better go to bed, Danvers, or you will lose your bloom.  Stop; you are a faithful soul.  Great things are happening and I am agitated.  Mr. Dacier has told me news.  He came back purposely.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Danvers.  ‘He had a great deal to tell?’

‘Well, he had.’  Diana coloured at the first tentative impertinence she had heard from her maid.  ’What is the secret of you, Danvers?  What attaches you to me?’

‘I’m sure I don’t know, ma’am.  I’m romantic.’

‘And you think me a romantic object?’

’I’m sure I can’t say, ma’am.  I’d rather serve you than any other lady; and I wish you was happy.’

‘Do you suppose I am unhappy?’

’I’m sure—­but if I may speak, ma’am:  so handsome and clever a lady! and young!  I can’t bear to see it.’

’Tush, you silly woman.  You read your melting tales, and imagine.  I must go and write for money:  it is my profession.  And I haven’t an idea in my head.  This news disturbs me.  Ruin if I don’t write; so I must.—­I can’t!’

Diana beheld the ruin.  She clasped the great news for succour.  Great indeed:  and known but to her of all the outer world.  She was ahead of all—­ahead of Mr. Tonans!