"It is not. Weak as your will now is, it is not yet so inert that you cannot bring it to bear upon the matter. I observe that Mrs. Awdrey has taken off her mourning. She must put it on again. It would be the height of all that is heartless for her to go about now without showing proper respect to your beautiful child. You also, Awdrey, must wear mourning. You must allow your wife to speak of the child. In short, even though you have no belief, you must allow those who are in a healthy mental condition to act for you in this matter. By doing so you may possibly arrest the malady." "I see what you mean," said Awdrey, "but I do not know how it is possible for me to act on your suggestions." "For your wife's sake you must try, and also because it is necessary that you should show respect to the dead heir of your house." "Then I am to put a band on my hat and all that sort of thing?" "Yes." "It is a trifle, doctor. If you and Margaret wish it, I cannot reasonably refuse. To come back to myself, however, you consider that I am quite doomed?" "Not quite yet, although your case is a bad one. I believe you can be saved if only you will exert yourself." "Do wishes go for anything in a case like mine?" "Assuredly. To hear you express a wish is a capital sign. What do you want to do?" "I have a strange wish to go down to the Court. I feel as if something or some one, whether angel or demon I do not know, were drawing me there. I have wished to be at the Court for some days. I thought at first of taking Margaret with me." "Do so. She would be glad to accompany you. She is a wife in a thousand." "But on second thoughts," continued Awdrey, "if I am obliged to listen to her bitter distress over the death of a child who never, as far as I can recall, existed, I should prefer not having her." "Very well then, go alone." "I cannot go alone. In the condition which I am now in, a complete vacuum in all my thoughts may occur, and long before I reach the Court I may forget where I am going." "That is possible." "Then, Rumsey, will you come with me?" The doctor thought a moment. "I'll go with you this evening," he said, "but I must return to town early to-morrow." "Thanks," said Awdrey. "I'll ring the bell. We shall be in time, if we start at once, to catch the five o'clock train." "Remember, Awdrey, that I shall treat you as the child's father. You will find all your tenantry in a state of poignant grief. That dear little fellow was much loved." Awdrey pursed up his lips as if he would whistle. A smile dawned in his eyes and vanished. CHAPTER XVI.