MICH. I have a strange belief about that picture. I'll hang it up. AUDR. (_a little intercepting him_). No. Let me look at it. Let me hold it in my hands. I won't kiss it without your permission. (_She takes it and looks at it intently._) Tell me--what is your strange belief about it? MICH. My mother was a deeply religious woman, and before my birth she consecrated me to this service as Hannah consecrated Samuel. When she was dying she said to me, "I'm not leaving you. I shall watch over you every moment of your life. There's not a word, or a deed, or a thought of yours but I shall know it. You won't see me, but I shall be very near you. Sometimes my hands will be upon your head, but you won't know it; sometimes my arms will be round you, but you won't feel them; sometimes my lips will be on your face, but you won't know that I have kissed you. Remember you are watched by the dead." AUDR. And you believe that you are watched by the dead? MICH. Yes. AUDR. And that she is with us now--in this room? MICH. Yes. AUDR. She is your good angel. MICH. She is my good angel. AUDR. I can understand why you did not wish me to kiss her. (_MICHAEL makes a movement to take the picture._) AUDR. (_retains it_). No. Yes, I feel she must be in this room. MICH. Why? AUDR. I was full of silly wicked thoughts when I came--she has taken them away. MICH. Ah, if I dared hope that you would really change! AUDR. Perhaps I will. (_Very imploringly._) Do let me kiss this sweet face. (_Pause._) MICH. No--at least not now, not yet. Please give it back to me. (_He takes it._) I'll hang it up. (_He takes it to steps._) Will you hold it for a moment? (_She comes to steps, holds it while he mounts, gives it to him._) AUDR. What a wonderful thought that is, that we are watched by the dead. It never occurred to me before. I wonder what a spirit is like? (_He hangs up the picture._) Now she is quite out of my reach. (_He comes down steps._) Won't you take that money for rebuilding the Minster! It's there on the window-sill. (_He goes and takes it._) Thank you. MICH. Thank you. AUDR. Then I'm not to call again? Not even about my soul? MICH. I'm going over to the Island for some time, and shall only be back on Sundays. AUDR. Saint Decuman's Island. You've built yourself a house over there, haven't you? MICH. The shrine was neglected and decayed. I restored it and built myself a couple of rooms round it. I've a few books, and just food and drink. I go over there sometimes for work and meditation. AUDR. And yours is the only house on the island? MICH. Yes. AUDR. Isn't it awfully lonely there? MICH. (_glancing at picture_). I'm never alone. AUDR. No, you have your millions and millions of good and bad angels, besides hundreds of cheap excursionists. MICH. Yes, in the summer, but they only stay a few hours. AUDR. I can see the smoke from your chimney quite plainly in the evening from my drawing-room windows. How far is it across? MICH. About four miles.