Clarice had not reached even that point. To both of them, in this very
anguish, Christ was saying, "Come unto Me;" but their own cry of pain
hindered them from hearing Him. It was not likely they should hear,
just then, when the sunlight of life was being extinguished, and the
music was dying to its close. But afterwards, in the silence and the
darkness, when the sounds were hushed and the lights were out, and there
was nothing that could be done but to endure, then the still, small
voice might make itself heard, and the crushed hearts might sob out
their answer.

So they parted. "They took but ane kiss, and tare themselves away," to
meet when it was God's will, and not knowing on which side of the river
of death that would be.

Half an hour had passed since Sir Piers' step had died away on the
terrace, and Clarice still sat where he had left her, in crushed and
silent stillness. If this night could only be the end of it! If things
had not to go on!

"Clarice," said a pitying voice; and a hand was laid upon her head as if
in fatherly blessing.

Clarice was too stunned with pain to remember her courtly duties. She
only looked up at Earl Edmund.

"Clarice, my poor child! I want thee to know that I did my best for
thee."

"I humbly thank your Lordship," Clarice forced herself to say.

"And it may be, my child, though it seems hard to believe, that God is
doing His best for thee too."

"Then what would His worst be?" came in a gush from Clarice.

"It might be that for which thou wouldst thank Him now."

The sorrowing girl was arrested in spite of herself, for the Earl spoke
in that tone of quiet certainty which has more effect on an undecided
mind than any words. She wondered how he knew, not realising that he
knows "more than the ancients" who knows God and sorrow.

"My child," said the Earl again, "man's best and God's best are often
very different things. In the eyes of Monseigneur Saint Jacob, the best
thing would have been to spare his son from being cast into the pit and
sold to the Ishmaelites. But God's best was to sell the boy into
slavery, and to send him into a dungeon, and then to lift him up to the
steps of the king's throne. When _then_ comes, Clarice, we shall be
satisfied with what happened to us now."

"When will it come, my Lord?" asked Clarice, in a dreary tone.

"When it is best," replied the Earl quietly.

"Your Lordship speaks as if you knew!" said Clarice.

"God knows.