a
monstrous, ballooned travesty of the eternity that, in moving life,
could never be more, could never be less, than the ideal life sought
unceasingly.

As for Paradise, what more grotesque illusion than to see it with walls
around it, what more piteous dream than to feel it narrowed to a nest?

CHAPTER V

He found Kitty alone in the drawing-room, alone, with empty hands and
empty, waiting eyes. He saw that she had wept, and that his departure,
only a brief note to break it to her, had added deep indignation to her
sorrow. She was no longer timid, nor cowed by the change she felt in
him. She had cast aside subtlety and appeal. It was a challenge that met
him in her eyes.

He had intended to tell her his news at once and the preparatory smile
was on his lips as he entered, a smile, though he did not know this,
strangely like that smile of reassurance and consolation that had met
her in the library a month ago.

But she gave him no time for a word.

Leaping from her chair she faced him, and with a vision still clearer
than that which had showed him subtlety a month ago, he saw now her
pettiness, her piteousness, her girlish violence and weakness. "Cruel!
Cruel! Cruel!"--she cried.

He remained standing at a little distance from her, looking at her sadly
and appealingly. Her words of reproach rushed forth and overwhelmed him
like a frenzied torrent.

"To leave me without a word, after last night! You treat me like a dog
that one kicks aside because it wearies one with its love. You have no
heart--I've felt it for days and days!--No heart! You hate me! You
despise me! And what have I done to deserve it but love--love--love
you--like the poor dog! But I know--I know--It is Sir Walter. You can't
forgive me that--It has poisoned everything--that ignorant folly of
mine. At first you thought you could forgive, and then you grew to hate
me. And I--I--" her voice choked, gasped into sobs;--"I have only loved
you--loved you--more and more----"

"Kitty, you are mistaken," said Holland. "I've never given Sir Walter a
thought." It was a reed she grasped at in the torrent, he saw that
well;--a desperate hope.

"It's false!" she cried. "You have! You thought at first that you would
be magnanimous and save me,--you could be magnanimous because you were
going to die--it's easy enough to be magnanimous if you are going to
die! easy enough to be peaceful and sad--and to stand there and smile
and smile as if you were o