n a brain which ached in
its endeavour to resume the sensations of a few hours ago. The images of
those with whom she had talked so cheerfully either eluded her memory,
or flitted before her unexpectedly, mopping and mowing, so that her
heart was revolted. It is in wakings such as these that Time finds his
opportunity to harry youth; every such unwinds from about us one of the
veils of illusion, bringing our eyes so much nearer to the horrid
truth of things. Adela shrank from the need of rising; she would have
abandoned herself to voiceless desolation, have lain still and dark
whilst the current of misery swept over her, deeper and deeper. When she
viewed her face, its ring-eyed pallor fascinated her with incredulity.
Had she looked at all like that whilst Hubert Eldon and the others were
talking to her? What did they secretly think of her? The others might
attribute to her many more years than she had really seen; but Hubert
knew her age. Perhaps that was why he glanced at her twice or thrice on
the stairs.

For the first time she wished not to be alone with Stella, fearing lest
the conversation should turn on Hubert. Yet, when they had sat together
for nearly an hour, and Stella had not named him, she began to suffer
from a besieging desire to speak of him, a recurrent impulse to allude
to him, however distantly, so that her companion might be led to the
subject. The impulse grew to a torment, more intolerable each time
she resisted it. And at last she found herself uttering the name
involuntarily, overcome by something stronger than her dread.

'I was surprised to meet Mr. Eldon.'

'Did you know him?' Stella asked simply.

'He used to live at Wanley Manor.'

Stella seemed to revive memories.

'Oh, that was how I knew the name. Mr. Westlake told me of him, at the
time when the Manor passed to Mr. Mutimer.'

Her husband was from home, so had not been at the Boscobels' last
evening.

Adela could rest now that she had spoken. She was searching for a
means of leading the conversation into another channel, when Stella
continued,--

'You knew him formerly?'

'Yes, when he still lived at Wanley. I have not met him since he went
away.'

Stella mused.

'I suppose he came to live in London?'

'I understood so.'

At length Adela succeeded in speaking of something else. Mental
excitement had set her blood flowing more quickly, as though an
obstruction were removed. Before long the unreasoning lightness of hear