Rowland possessed at least goodnature:  few young men would have borne to be so severely handled.  But then, while one’s good opinion of himself remains untroubled, confesses no touch, gives out no hollow sound, shrinks not self-hurt with the doubt of its own reality, hostile criticism will not go very deep, will not reach to the quick.  The thing that hurts is that which sets trembling the ground of self-worship, lays bare the shrunk cracks and wormholes under the golden plates of the idol, shows the ants running about in it, and renders the foolish smile of the thing hateful.  But he who will then turn away from his imagined self, and refer his life to the hidden ideal self, the angel that ever beholds the face of the Father, shall therein be made whole and sound, alive and free.

The dance called them, and their talk ceased.  When it was over, Dorothy left the hall and sought her chamber.  But in the fountain court her cousin overtook her, and had the temerity to resume the conversation.  The moth would still at any risk circle the candle.  It was a still night, and therefore not very cold, although icicles hung from the mouth of the horse, and here and there from the eaves.  They stood by the marble basin, and the dim lights and scarce dimmer shadows from many an upper window passed athwart them as they stood.  The chapel was faintly lighted, but the lantern-window on the top of the hall shone like a yellow diamond in the air.

‘Thou dost me scant justice, cousin,’ said Rowland, ’maintaining that I love but myself or for mine own ends.  I know that love thee better than so.’

’For thine own sake, I would, might I but believe it, be glad of the assurance.  But—­’

Amanda’s behaviour to her having at last roused counter observation and speculation on Dorothy’s part, she had become suddenly aware that there was an understanding between her and Rowland.  It was gradually, however, that the question rose in her mind:  could these two have been the nightly intruders on the forbidden ground of the workshop, and afterwards the victims of the watershoot?  But the suspicion grew to all but a conviction.  Latterly she had observed that their behaviour to each other was changed, also that Amanda’s aversion to herself seemed to have gathered force.  And one thing she had found remarkable—­that Rowland revealed no concern for Amanda’s misfortunes, or anxiety about her fate.  With all these things potentially present in her mind, she came all at once to the resolution of attempting a bold stroke.

‘—­But,’ Dorothy went on, ’when I think how thou didst bear thee with mistress Amanda—­’

‘My precious Dorothy!’ exclaimed Scudamore, filled with a sudden gush of hope, ’thou wilt never be so unjust to thyself as to be jealous of her!  She is to me as nothing—­as if she had never been; nor care I forsooth if the devil hath indeed flown away with her bodily, as they will have it in the hall and the guard-room.’