y; Wilfrid had no occasion
for leaving home and already they had enjoyed in advance the two
unbroken days.

'But I should indeed like to hear her,' Emily said, 'and she seems to
sing so rarely.'

'She has only just returned to England,' Wilfrid remarked

They had heard of Beatrice having been in Florence a week or two prior
to their own stay there. She was travelling with the Baxendales. Emily
was anxious to meet her, and Wilfrid had held out a hope that this might
come about in Italy, but circumstances had proved adverse.

'Have you seen her?' Emily inquired.

Her husband had not. He seemed at first a little disinclined to go up
for the concert, but on Emily's becoming silent he hastened to give a
cheerful acquiescence.

'Couldn't we see her to-morrow?' she went on to ask.

'No doubt we can. It's only the facing of my aunt's drawing-room on a
Sunday afternoon.'

'O, surely that is needless, Wilfrid? Couldn't we go and see her
quietly? She would be at home in the morning, I should think.'

'I should think so. We'll make inquiries to-night.'

They left home early in the afternoon and procured tickets on their way
from the station to Mr. Athel's. Their arrival being quite unexpected,
they found that Mr. Athel had loft town for a day or two. It was all
that Emily needed for the completing of her pleasure; her father-in-law
was scrupulously polite in his behaviour to her, but the politeness fell
a little short as yet of entire ease, and conversation with him involved
effort. She ran a risk of letting Wilfrid perceive the gladness with
which she discovered an empty house; he did, in fact, attribute to its
true cause the light-heartedness she showed as they sat together at
dinner, and smiled to think that he himself shared in the feeling of
relief. There were reasons why he could not look forward to the evening
with unalloyed happiness, but the unwonted gaiety which shone on Emily's
face, and gave a new melody to her voice, moved him to tenderness and
gratitude. He felt that it would be well to listen again to the music of
that strong heart whose pain had been his bliss. He overcame his ignoble
anxieties and went to the concert as to a sacred office.

Their seats, owing to lateness in applying for them, were not in the
best part of the hall; immediately behind them was the first row of a
cheaper section, and two men of indifferent behaviour were seated there
within ear-shot; they were discussing the various names