Howard got up, and was seized by a sudden giddiness.  He grasped his chair, and was aware that Mrs. Graves was looking at him anxiously.

“Can you manage it, dear boy?” she said.  “You have had a great strain.”

“Manage it?” said Howard, “why, it’s new life.  I shall be all right in a moment.  Does she know what has happened?”

“Yes,” said Mrs. Graves, “she knows all—­it is you she is anxious about—­she isn’t thinking of herself at all.”

Howard followed his aunt out of the room, feeling suddenly alert and strong.  They entered the room; as they did so, Maud turned and looked at him—­the faintest tinge of colour had returned to her face; she held out her hands to him, and let them fall again.  Howard stepped quickly to the side of the bed, dropped on his knees, and took his wife in his arms.  She nestled close to him for a moment, and then looked at him with a smile—­then speaking in a very low voice, almost a whisper, she said: 

“Yes, I know—­you will help me, dearest; yes, I have come back to you—­I have been wandering far away, with the child—­you know—­he wanted me, I think; but I have left him somewhere, safe, and I am sent back—­I didn’t think I could come back, but I had to choose; I have chosen . . .” her voice died away, and she looked long and anxiously at him.  “You are not well,” she said; “it is my fault.”

“Ah, you must not talk, darling,” said Howard; “we will talk later on; just let me be sure that you won’t leave me—­that is enough, that’s all I want, just we two together again, and the dear child, ours for ever.”

“The dear child,” said Maud, “that is right—­he is ours, beloved.  I will tell you about him.”

“Not now,” said Howard, “not now.”

Maud gave him a nod, in her old way, just the ghost of a nod; and then just put her face beside his own, and lay in silence, till he was called away.  Then she kissed his hand as he bent over her, and said, “Don’t be afraid, dearest—­I am coming back—­it is like a great staircase, with light at the top.  I went just to the edge—­ it’s full of sweet sound there, and now I am coming down again.  Those are my dreams,” she added; “I am not out of my dreams yet.”

Howard went out, waving his hand; he found Mrs. Graves beside him.

“Yes,” she said, “I have no more fear.”

Howard was suddenly seized with faintness, uncontrollable dizziness.  Mrs. Graves took him to the library, and made him sit down, but his weakness continued in spite of himself.

“I really am ashamed of myself,” he said, “for this dreadful exhibition.”

“Exhibition!” said Mrs. Graves, “it’s the best thing that can happen.  I must tell you that I have been even more anxious about you than Maud, because you either couldn’t or wouldn’t break down—­ those are the people who are in danger at a time like this!  Why the sight of you has half killed me, dear boy!  If you had ever said you were miserable, or been rude or irritable, or forgotten yourself for a moment, I should have been happier.  It’s very chivalrous and considerate, of course; though you will say that you didn’t think of that; but it’s hardly human—­and now at last I see you are flesh and blood again.”