‘Your loneliness! You would not be long lonely. You would find plenty to cheer you; whereas I am in a different position. Nay: come back with me. You have seen exactly how things are. If you want to be charitable, nothing is more easy. James Plowden, or if you prefer it, his sister,’ she paused, with a harsh laugh, ‘will do everything you want in that way. Come back to the life we know; come back to the surroundings you are accustomed to. You--you can’t, any more than I, be happy here. Where are your _courses_, your clubs, your theatres? There is nothing, nothing to amuse you. Leo, you know you would be more amused, you would be more happy, as well as I.’ ‘But this,’ he said, ‘is my proper sphere.’ ‘_Grand seigneur_ again,’ she cried, with a laugh; ‘who takes up that view now? Your great-grandfather bought this estate; it is then four generations in the family. And you think that feudal! Ah! be kind to the _canaille_ if you will; they will cheat you and hate you, but never mind. Leo, if you keep me here, and I am tempted beyond my powers, and do harm--harm, do you hear?--murder even--the guilt will not be on me, but you!’ ‘Mother, do you think there is any use in scaring yourself by such big words? Murder! Whom will you kill, for example? You who faint if you prick yourself and the blood runs! I am not afraid of you.’ ‘There are more ways of murder than one. I will take no life.’ ‘No, I don’t suppose so,’ he said, with a laugh; ‘but if you think you will die of _ennui_, which, I allow, is a danger, my dear mother, your _appartement_ is still open. I will make every arrangement. Pardon me if I feel it is my duty to live in my own house; but why should that affect you?’ ‘If I said, Leo, that I could not live without you, that you are my only child----’ ‘Mother,’ he said, ‘we both understand perfectly what that means. When I was a child you were very fond of me. I was part of your _ensemble_. You gave me everything I wanted. Now, it is not your fault nor mine that I am a man of thirty-five, not even in my first youth. If I am ever to be good for anything, I have no time to lose; but you have arrived at an age----’ ‘Ah!’ she said, ‘I have arrived at an age when I am no longer good for anything, neither the pleasures nor the duties. It is fit that it should be you who say that to me.’ ‘I say that you have arrived at an age when everything should be made easy to you, and pleasant, mother; and that you should live, without consideration of others, as suits you best.’ ‘And you?’ she said with a smile; ‘as suits you best? Is not that what you mean?’ ‘It was not what I meant; but perhaps it is true,’ he said. Then there was a silence, during which Leo stood by the high mantelpiece, leaning upon it, looking down upon the bright blaze of the fire, yet furtively watching his mother’s face.