Her cheeks had lost for ever that
firm contour which had been drawn by the vigorous hand of youth, and the
masses of hair that were once darkness visible had become touched here
and there by a faint grey haze, like the Via Lactea in a midnight sky.

Yet to those who had eyes to understand as well as to see, the chastened
pensiveness of her once handsome features revealed more promising
material beneath than ever her youth had done. But Swithin was
hopelessly her junior. Unhappily for her he had now just arrived at an
age whose canon of faith it is that the silly period of woman's life is
her only period of beauty. Viviette saw it all, and knew that Time had
at last brought about his revenges. She had tremblingly watched and
waited without sleep, ever since Swithin had re-entered Welland, and it
was for this.

Swithin came forward, and took her by the hand, which she passively
allowed him to do.

'Swithin, you don't love me,' she said simply.

'O Viviette!'

'You don't love me,' she repeated.

'Don't say it!'

'Yes, but I will! you have a right not to love me. You did once. But
now I am an old woman, and you are still a young man; so how can you love
me? I do not expect it. It is kind and charitable of you to come and
see me here.'

'I have come all the way from the Cape,' he faltered, for her insistence
took all power out of him to deny in mere politeness what she said.

'Yes; you have come from the Cape; but not for me,' she answered. 'It
would be absurd if you had come for me. You have come because your work
there is finished. . . . I like to sit here with my little boy--it is a
pleasant spot. It was once something to us, was it not? but that was
long ago. You scarcely knew me for the same woman, did you?'

'Knew you--yes, of course I knew you!'

'You looked as if you did not. But you must not be surprised at me. I
belong to an earlier generation than you, remember.'

Thus, in sheer bitterness of spirit did she inflict wounds on herself by
exaggerating the difference in their years. But she had nevertheless
spoken truly. Sympathize with her as he might, and as he unquestionably
did, he loved her no longer. But why had she expected otherwise? 'O
woman,' might a prophet have said to her, 'great is thy faith if thou
believest a junior lover's love will last five years!'

'I shall be glad to know through your grandmother how you are getting
on,' she said meekly. 'But now I would much ra