Neville, on his side, was smiling too, thinking, poor fool, that the victory lay with him; but looking round he saw Elinor raise her wine cup to her lips, and looking closer he saw two tears rise in her eyes, swell over the lids, and slip into the wine cup. Instantly he cursed himself for a stupid brute. "Madam," he said, speaking low in Elinor's ear, so that she alone could hear him, "thou art wasteful. Cleopatra cast only one pearl into her wine-cup, and thou hast dropped two." At the same moment a little white figure appeared in the doorway. "May I come in for nutth?" asked a small voice. "Cecil, for shame! Go back to bed this instant!" cried his mother; but Neville drew a stool between him and Mary Brent, and silently motioned to Cecil to come and occupy it. "The child should be taught obedience through discipline," said Father Mohl, looking with raised eyebrows toward Elinor. Cecil cowered against the wall; but kept his eyes upon the coveted seat. Neville crossed glances with the priest as men cross swords. "Or confidence through love-- "Cecil," he continued, "beg thy mother to heed the petition of a guest and let thee sit here by me for ten little minutes; I will bid thee eat nuts,--so shalt thou practise Father Mohl's precepts of obedience." Elinor smiled, Neville put out his hand, a strong, nervous hand, and Cecil knew his cause was won. "Lonely upstairs," he confided to Neville as he helped himself to nuts; "makes me think of bears." "Bears come not into houses." "They say not, but the dark looks like a big black one, big enough to swallow house and all. I do not like the dark, do you?" "I did not when I was your age,--that's sure; but I have seen so many worse things since then--" "What?" "Myself, for instance." "That's silly." "I think it is." "Do not say silly things! Mother sends me to bed when I do." "Is it not silly to fear the dark?" "Mayhap, but I lie still all of a tremble, and then I seem to hear a growl at the door, and then blood and flesh cannot stand it and I scream for Mother. Three or two timeth I scream, and she comes running." "Wouldst have the bear eat thy mother?" "Nay, but sure 'nuff he would not. The Dark Bear eateth only little boys." "Oh, only little boys?" "Ay, and he beginneth with their toes. Therefore I dare not kneel alone to say my Hail Maries. The Dark Bear is not like God, for God careth only for the heart. Thir Chrithtopher, why doth God care more for the heart than for the head and legs?" "Come, Cecil," said Elinor's warning voice, "thou art chattering as loud as a tree-toad, and the ten minutes are more than passed. Run up and hide those cold toes of thine under the counterpane!" "If I go, wilt thou come up after supper to see me?" "If I can be spared." "Nay, no _ifs_--ay or no?" Father Mohl smiled, and his smile was not good to see. "Is this the flower of that confidence through love which you so much admire, Sir Christopher?"