“She is in no pain, and won’t be. I will be back in three hours. You will stay on, I suppose, and being an old friend, you can see to things, until these motorists are found. A shock for them, but they deserve it; going off and leaving no address! And, between ourselves, they’ll be pleased to come into the property and the money. They’ve not been much to her, nor she to them. She was what I called ‘a _one man_ woman.’ While she had him, because he filled her heart, it was open to all. But when she lost him, she lost her all, and her empty heart closed to others. That is why I curse those French girls; throttling that splendid fellow with their foolish fingers. Who wanted them? And at such a cost! Well, goodbye, for the present——” “Can you not leave instructions as to what is to be done for Lady Tintagel?” “The housekeeper has full instructions, and I have left stimulating draughts with her. Keep the patient quiet. Give her all she wants. Do, without question, everything she asks. Don’t let more than one person be in her room at the same time, unless help is needed. Don’t attempt to move her. She lies where they put her at first, on a couch near the window, looking out over the sea. I wouldn’t let them move her. It’s such a silly fad always to want people to die in their beds. It rejoices my heart when I hear of a parson dying in the pulpit. Please God, I’ll either die in my gig or on the links. Good morning, Mr. Sparrow. See you later on.” Silence at last. He went over to the window, and leaned his forehead against the glass. He must go to her now. She wanted him, and the time was short. Thank God, he would have her alone. Surely Divine interposition had given them thus to each other. He must just wait until he could be sure that the noisy little man, who had filled the room with babel, was clear out of the house. Mrs. Thomas tapped and entered. “Her ladyship asks for you, Sir Nigel. She is alone.” “Shew me her room, Mary,” he said; but, in the same moment, turning from her, walked across the room, drew back a curtain and found the door of communication behind it. He opened it. Double doors. Yes, of course. She had liked the absolute security of double doors to their own room. One moment he waited, took a deep breath, laid firm hold upon himself; then opened the door, and passed into the quiet room beyond. SCENE XIII “NEVERTHELESS——” She lay upon the couch, near the open window, very white and still. She was gazing out across the sea; but, as he closed the door, she turned her eyes and watched him, while he walked over to the couch; and those patient eyes were so full of unutterable love and longing, that his throat closed on the words he had meant to say. He knelt down beside her, took both her hands in his, and laid his lips upon them. “Miriam! Miriam!” “Nigel, you do remember?”