se she was as wise as she was beautiful. His thought of Marion
became fatigued and resentful because it had made him forget the marvel
of his Ellen.

"Forgive me," he murmured.

"Of course I forgive you."

"What, before I have told you what it is I want forgiveness for?"

"I have it in my mind I will always forgive you for anything you do."

"That's a brave undertaking!"

They laughed into each other's faces through the dusk. "Well, I've
always hankered after a chance to show I'm brave. When I was a wee thing
I used to cry because I couldn't be a soldier. I had the finest
collection of tin soldiers you can imagine. A pairfect army. Mother used
to stint herself to buy them for me.... Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" He felt her
tremble again. "Well, we've come to the end of George the Fourth Bridge.
Is it not awful inappropriate to call a street after George the Fourth
when it is nearly all bookshops?"

She did not name the street which they were entering. Indeed, though her
breathing was tense, lethargy seemed to have fallen on her, and she
slackened her pace and made him halt with her at the kerb, where they
were necessarily jostled by the press of squalid people, lurching with
drink or merely with rough manners, that streamed up and down this
street of topless houses whose visible lower storeys were blear-eyed
with windows broken or hung with rags.

"Isn't this the High Street?"

"Yes. And I wish we were here any time but this. Think if this was a
fine Saturday morning now, and we were going up to the Castle to see the
Highlanders drilling."

"Didn't you say the Public Health Office was opposite the Cathedral?"

"I did so. But dear knows it was ridiculous of me to drag you here. Most
likely her number will not be there at all. After all, she was only
taken away this morning, and the doctor said there'd be no change. He
said I would be just a fule to worry."

He guided her across the road and looked for the office among the shops
that faced the dark shape of the Cathedral, while she hung on his arm.
"You will be angry with me for dragging you for nothing out into this
awful part."

"Is this it?"

"Yes, you must look, my eyes ache," she said peevishly. "Besides, her
number will not be there. Richard, did ever you see a white dog like yon
in the gutter. Is it not a most peculiar-looking animal?"

After a moment's silence he said steadily, "What did you say your
mother's number was?"

"Ninety-three. I told you it