She gave a little gasp at the end of this. Lady Dover heard it, and laid a quick hand of sympathy on her shoulder. But Evelyn did not; for the present he was convinced, and that conviction, like some burst of sudden sound, shut out all other impressions. "Here we are, then," he said. "This is the new me; positively the first appearance. A favourable reception was accorded by a sympathetic audience. And now--are you still there, Dr. Inglis?--what manner of reason is there that I should not get up?" "You want to?" he asked. "Why, certainly." "Then, there is an excellent reason why you should. When my patients want to do a thing it is an indication, generally correct, that it is good for them. Yes, get up by all means." Again the boyish delight in the new game took possession of Evelyn; yet that delight, and the pity of it, stabbed Madge like a sword. "And let me do it myself," he cried. "Let my clothes be put by my bed, let my bath be put there, and let me be left quite alone. Madge, I bet you I shall be dressed in an hour. And the parting in my hair will be straight," he added excitedly. This also was agreed to, with the provision that if he felt faint or tired during these operations he was at once to desist, and lie down again and ring his bell. The nurse busied herself with the preparations for this great event, and the other three went out together. Dr. Inglis paused in the corridor outside the room. "Mrs. Dundas," he said, "you have got to keep that up, you know. You did it well, and I don't think you ought to have done differently. Come, come, we shall have you fainting next." Poor Madge had been utterly overwrought by this scene, and indeed as the doctor spoke she swayed and staggered where she stood. But they got her to a chair, in which she sat silent with closed eyes for a minute or so. Then she looked up at him. "Shall I get used to it?" she asked. "Please tell me if there is a reasonable chance of that?" "Certainly there is--we will come down in a minute, Lady Dover, if you will go on--yes, certainly, there is much more than a chance. You will get used to it. I did not know, by the way, that your husband had been told you had seen him before; but that does not matter now. But it is idle to pretend that you will get used to it at once. You won't, you can't. You will have to be patient, and all the time you must keep the strictest guard on yourself, to prevent the least suspicion getting to his mind that you are shocked by his appearance. He knows, poor fellow, more or less what he looks like. The curious blind sense of touch is developing in him with extraordinary rapidity. But you convinced him just now--his whole face flushed--that you don't mind. You must keep that up, otherwise no one can say what may happen." "What do you mean?" asked she, still rather faintly. "Just that. His hold on life is strong enough, quite strong enough, but it comes to him now mainly through one channel. That is you."