Before long there was a general departure, and Lightmark, flushed with the triumphs of a conversation in which, in the very centre of an admiring group of his antagonist's worshippers, he had successfully measured swords with a notorious wit, turned to look for his wife; and, for the first time, meeting Oswyn's eye, half-involuntarily advanced to greet him. "This is an unexpected honour," said Oswyn coldly, disregarding the proffered hand; "unexpected and unwelcome!" Then he would have turned away, leaving his contempt and hatred unspoken, but his passion was too strong. "Have you come to seek ideas for your next Academy picture," he continued quickly, with a sneer trembling on his lips, "or for the _Outcry_?" Lightmark grew a little pale, biting his lip, and frowning for a moment, before he assumed a desperate mask of good-humour. "Hang it, man!" he answered quickly, "be reasonable! Haven't you forgiven me yet? Though what you have to forgive---- I only want to congratulate you, to tell you that I admire your work--immensely." "I don't want your congratulations," interrupted the other hoarsely. "I might forget the wrong which, as you well know, you have done me; that is nothing! But have you forgotten your--your friend, Rainham? You had better go," he added, with a savage gesture. "Go! before I denounce you, proclaim you, you pitiful scoundrel!" The man's forced calm had given way to a quivering passion; his lips trembled under the stress of the words which thronged to them; and as he turned on his heel, with a glance eloquent of loathing, he did not notice that Eve was standing close behind her husband, with parted lips, and intent eyes gleaming out of a face as pale as his own. Lightmark recovered himself quickly, shrugging his shoulders as soon as the other was out of earshot. He glanced at his wife, who was following Oswyn with her eyes; he did not dare to ask, or even to think, what she might have heard. "The man's mad," he said lightly, "madder than ever!" CHAPTER XXXII It was Margot who gave him the letter: Oswyn remembered that afterwards with a kind of superstition. She came to meet him, wearing an air of immense importance, when his quick step fell upon the bare wooden stairway which led to his rooms. "There's a letter for you," she said, nodding impressively, "a big letter, with a seal on it; and Mrs. Thomas had to write something on a piece of green paper before the postman would give it to her." Then she followed him into the twilight of the attic which was his studio, and watched him gravely while he lighted the gas and, in deference to her curiosity, broke the seal. The envelope contained a letter, and a considerable bundle of papers, folded small, and neatly tied together with red tape. When he had read the letter, he turned the package over with a sigh, reflectively eying it for some minutes, and then put it aside.