remind one irresistibly of
graveyards, but honest, bright, terracotta, human-looking flower-pots,
from which rose or trailed the loveliest plants a skilful gardener
could wrest from September. A white peacock paced majestically across
the red gravel towards the larches, and underneath these, swinging
exuberantly on suspended perches, with the strips and bars of sunlight
flashing on their glittering feathers, chattered together nearly a
dozen Oriental parrots.

Lucia looked at the scene with an artist's quick eye, and I heard an
instinctive murmur about its making a pretty sketch.

I told her she would be otherwise occupied now than in making sketches,
and we both laughed as we passed up the steps together.

In the hall hovered, like two evil shadows, her maid and my valet,
lying in wait for us to remind us of clothes and the serious duties of
life. I saw Lucia carried off from me with despairing eyes, knowing it
would be ages before I saw her again.

It did not take me long to get into another suit, and then I returned
to the dining-room, and roamed about from end to end, too restless to
sit down to glance at the papers that lay on the different tables, or
even to light up a cigar. I walked about aimlessly, longing for the
woman's presence beside me again.

It was a very large room--two, properly, knocked into one--with a
window looking to the front and the carriage-drive, and another at the
side, opening, with French glass doors, on to the low stone terrace
which overlooked the lawn.

Through these I wandered at last on to the terrace, and rested my arms
on the low balustrade, looking with unseeing eyes across the lawn, with
its tropical trees standing motionless in the golden haze. Everything
around me was very still, and a peculiar strained calm seemed to be
upon me also--the calm of an intense desire, hushed and expectant, in
all the blood.

A swift, hurried step came on to the terrace, and I turned instantly.

The light fell all over her, the living incarnation of my long drawn
out hopes and dreams. She had changed her dress to a light dinner-silk.
The bodice was modest--I mean by that, it was unobtrusive--very. Excess
of nervous excitement, the wealth of evening sunlight, and her fashion
of dressing made her dazzling to look upon, and I stood for a second in
silence.

She misunderstood my pause and glance, and a rush of hot colour came
into her face, and the tears suddenly started to her eyes.

"You d