ss?"

She sadly shook her head. "Father's never ill. He's a marvel. He's
only--endless."

Densher thought. "Can I in any way help you with him?"

"Yes." She perfectly, wearily, almost serenely, had it all. "By our
making your visit as little of an affair as possible for him--and for
Marian too."

"I see. They hate so your seeing me. Yet I couldn't--could I?--not have
come."

"No, you couldn't not have come."

"But I can only, on the other hand, go as soon as possible?"

Quickly it almost upset her. "Ah don't, to-day, put ugly words into my
mouth. I've enough of my trouble without it."

"I know--I know!" He spoke in instant pleading. "It's all only that I'm
as troubled _for_ you. When did he come?"

"Three days ago--after he hadn't been near her for more than a year,
after he had apparently, and not regrettably, ceased to remember her
existence; and in a state which made it impossible not to take him in."

Densher hesitated. "Do you mean in such want--?"

"No, not of food, of necessary things--not even, so far as his
appearance went, of money. He looked as wonderful as ever. But he
was--well, in terror."

"In terror of what?"

"I don't know. Of somebody--of something. He wants, he says, to be
quiet. But his quietness is awful."

She suffered, but he couldn't not question. "What does he do?"

It made Kate herself hesitate. "He cries."

Again for a moment he hung fire, but he risked it. "What _has_ he done?"

It made her slowly rise, and they were once more fully face to face.
Her eyes held his own and she was paler than she had been. "If you love
me--now--don't ask me about father."

He waited again a moment. "I love you. It's because I love you that I'm
here. It's because I love you that I've brought you this." And he drew
from behind him the letter that had remained in his hand.

But her eyes only--though he held it out--met the offer. "Why you've
not broken the seal!"

"If I had broken the seal--exactly--I should know what's within. It's
for _you_ to break the seal that I bring it."

She looked--still not touching the thing--inordinately grave. "To break
the seal of something to you from _her?_"

"Ah precisely because it's from her. I'll abide by whatever you think
of it."

"I don't understand," said Kate. "What do you yourself think?" And then
as he didn't answer: "It seems to me _I_ think you know. You have your
instinct. You don't need to read. It's the proof."

Densher faced her word