“No, papa, I don't mean that; I mean home--I home--Glenmara.” “I will, Daireen: we shall go away from here. We shall be happy together in the old house.” “Yes,” she said. “Happy--happy.” “What do you mean, sir?” said the _maître d'hôtel_, referring to a question put to him by Despard, who had been brought away from the bishop's house by Harwood in a diplomatically friendly manner. “What do you mean? Didn't Mr. Markham tell you he was going?” “Going--where?” said Harwood. “To Natal, sir? I felt sure that he had told you, though he didn't speak to us. Yes, he left in the steamer for Natal two hours ago.” “Squaring everything?” asked Despard. “Sir!” said the _maître_; “Mr. Markham was a gentleman.” “It was half a sovereign he gave you then,” remarked Despard. Then turning to Harwood, he said: “Well, Mr. Editor, this is the end of all, I fancy. We can't expect much after this. He's gone now, and I'm infernally sorry for him, for Oswin was a good sort. By heavens, didn't I burst in on the bishop's party like a greased shrapnel? I had taken a little better than a glass of brandy before I went there, so I was in good form. Yes, Paulina is the name of his wife. He had picked her up in Italy or thereabouts. That's what made his friends send him off to Australia. He was punished for his sins, for that woman made his life a hell to him. Now we'll take the tinsel off a bottle of Moët together.” “No,” said Harwood; “not to-night.” He left the room and went upstairs, for now indeed this psychological analyst had an intricate problem to work out. It was a long time before he was able to sleep. CHAPTER XLI. CONCLUSION. What is it you would see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. ***** And let me speak to the yet unknowing world How these things came about: so shall you hear Of accidental judgments... purposes mistook. ... let this same be presently performed ... lest more mischance On plots and errors happen.--_Hamlet._ |LITTLE more remains to be told to complete the story of the few months of the lives of the people whose names have appeared in these pages in illustration of how hardly things go right.