the way Mercedes says; it's only to set you free and to
get away from the fear of being handed over to a man who don't love her.
For she didn't understand, either, Mr. Jardine. Women are blamed foolish
in their way, too."

Gregory had stopped in his walk and was standing before Mrs. Talcott
looking down at her; and while Mrs. Talcott fixed the intense blue of
her eyes upon him he became aware of an impression almost physical in
its vividness. It was as if Mrs. Talcott were the most wise, most
skilful, most benevolent of doctors who, by some miraculous modern
invention, were pumping blood into his veins from her own
superabundance. It seemed to find its way along hardened arteries, to
creep, to run, to tingle; to spread with a radiant glow through all his
chilled and weary body. Hope and fear mounted in him suddenly.

He could not have said, after that, exactly what happened, but he could
afterwards recall, brokenly, that he must have shed tears; for his first
distinct recollection was that he was leaning against the end of the
piano and that Mrs. Talcott, who had risen, was holding him by the hand
and saying: "There now, yes, I guess you've had a pretty bad time. You
hang on, Mr. Jardine, and we'll get her back yet."

He wanted to put his head on Mrs. Talcott's shoulder and be held by her
to her broad breast for a long time; but, since such action would have
been startlingly uncharacteristic of them both, he only, when he could
speak, thanked her.

"What shall I do, now?" he asked. He was in Mrs. Talcott's hands. "It's
no good writing to Karen. Madame von Marwitz will intercept my letter if
what you believe is true. Shall we go down to the New Forest directly?
Shall I force my way in on Karen?"

"That's just what you'll have to do; I don't doubt it," said Mrs.
Talcott. "And I'll go with you, to manage Mercedes while you get hold of
Karen. And I'm not fit for it till I've had a night's rest, so we'll go
down first thing to-morrow, Mr. Jardine. I'm spending the night here so
as we can talk it all out to-night. But first I'm going round to Mrs.
Forrester's. If I'm right, Mr. Jardine, and there ain't any 'if' about
it in my own mind, it's important that people should know what the truth
is now, before we go. We don't want to have to seem to work up a story
to shield Karen if she comes back to you. I'm going to Mrs. Forrester's
and I'm going to that mighty silly woman, Miss Scrotton, and I'll have
to tell them a thing