ould tell that he, too, had his window
open; he was sitting close to it, reading and smoking. She had no idea
how he spent his evenings, but when she came to bed his light was
always on. What an odd, self-contained, saturnine creature he was!
There was something so ponderous, so logical, so crushing about him.
Yes, that described him best, crushing. She always felt that he was
ready to flatten her out....

Somewhere near at hand a door opened and closed again. Before she
could decide what door it was she heard the low rumble of the doctor's
voice addressing someone.

"Well," she heard him say somewhat brusquely, "what is it now?"

It was the exasperated tone one might employ to a rather tiresome
child. She found herself listening idly, wondering who it was who had
come into his room. A second later, with a slight shock, she
recognised the unmistakable tones of Lady Clifford. As on a former
occasion, she was puzzled to know how it was the doctor spoke to her in
so peremptory a fashion. She could not catch the words of the
Frenchwoman, but the doctor's reply was clearly audible.

"That was wrong of you," he was saying. "I distinctly told you not to
try. Besides, I am sure you exaggerate the importance of it."

Lady Clifford's next speech, uttered in a querulous tone, was
distinguishable, from which Esther concluded she had come closer to the
window.

"But I tell you I must know the truth! I cannot rest until I find out.
Something warns me he has done something ... damnable!"

"You will know soon enough."

"But, mon Dieu, when I know it will be too late!"

She seemed almost in tears. The doctor waited a little before
replying, in accents of unmoved calm:

"Rubbish! How did this idea come to you?"

"I will tell you." The woman's voice was eager, importunate. "In
January, when we were in Paris, he went to see Hamilton, his English
solicitor. I thought nothing of it at the time, but a few days ago
something he said made me think--made me afraid---- I don't know what
he may have done. He is capable of anything, everything! I tell you,
I am terrified!"

Esther, by the bathroom window, nodded to herself with satisfaction at
the confirmation of her theory. So it had been the will Lady Clifford
was trying to see! Matters were clearing up. She heard Sartorius say
sceptically:

"Don't be a fool! Go back to your room; this is neither the time nor
the place for these conferences. I have told yo