I have a great power over her. I found that when I had sufficiently rallied from my emotions to exercise my will, that _willing_ her to be her ordinary self (while her hands were in mine and my eyes fixed upon her face) “brought her to,” as the nurses say, at once. This had opened up another aspect of affairs. If I have this power over her, may not that possibly be the cause of her liking for me—even of her impressions of her dreams? I must investigate, search, leave no stone unturned to unearth the truth. Too much is at stake. Next day, I willed her to be cheerful and happy, and she was so. (Another symptom, which I duly recorded.) I found she had not as perfectly clear a recollection of that terrible evening as I have myself. I was thankful for this. I was as commonplace as I could possibly be during those days before the prince’s return. I took care she should have no time to meditate, and mammy, Lady Forwood, and good Lady Boisville helped me. I don’t know what they have thought of it all, but they have consciously or unconsciously abetted me with that woman’s own gift of tact which is worth a king’s—no, an emperor’s—ransom, aye, and far more! The prince returned, unexpectedly, one rainy afternoon. He came in a station fly. When he entered the hall we men were playing billiards. I fancied he looked sulky, but during the short time that followed before the general departure he was amiability itself, and has declared his intention of remaining in England the winter, also to look out for a country house near here for the—— * * * * * Dr. Paull was seated in his library a misty autumn morning writing the above, when a tap at his door disturbed him. The servant brought him a telegram: “_Come at once to London. This evening at half-past nine I will be at your house_. “_Mercedes._” CHAPTER XVI. MIZPAH. What was there in that telegram to cause Hugh Paull misgiving? Ostensibly, but little. Many things could have occurred, simple in themselves, to give Mercedes an excuse to summon him. That she would take advantage of an excuse to shorten their separation, he well knew. As he turned over and re-read the telegram, he chided himself for the chill sense of impending trouble which was unnerving him; but his efforts came to nothing. He started for London at once, in irrepressible perturbation of mind. Arrived home, the commonplace aspect of the familiar old house somewhat relieved him of his mental oppression. The housekeeper had had notice of his return in a week or ten days, and charwomen were about; there was a clatter of pails and the homely sound of busy brooms and scrubbing-brushes.