Two or three times he got up and hunted behind the bed curtains, evidently with the idea of some lurking foe, and then lay down again, apparently but half convinced that he was alone. Once he started up suddenly, just as he was dropping off to sleep, and complained of a flash of light which had almost blinded him. 'Lightning,' he muttered; 'I believe I am struck blind. Come here, Ida.' She went to him and soothed him, and told him there had been no lightning; it was only his fancy. 'Everything is my fancy,' he said, 'the world is built out of fancies, the universe is only an extension of the individual mind;' and then he began to ramble on upon every metaphysical theory he had ever read about, from Plato and Aristotle to Leibnitz and Kant, from Hegel to Bain--talking, talking, talking, through the slow hours of that terrible night. At last, when the sun was high, he fell into what seemed a sound sleep; and then Ida, utterly worn with care and watching, changed her gown for a cashmere _peignoir_, and lay down on her bed. She slept soundly for a blessed hour or more of respite and forgetfulness, then woke suddenly with an acute consciousness of trouble, yet vaguely remembering the nature of that trouble Memory came back only too soon. She rose hurriedly, and went to look at her patient. His room was empty. He had passed through her room and gone out into the corridor, without awakening her. She rang her bell, and was answered by Lady Palliser's own maid, Jane Dyson, who came in a leisurely way with the morning cups of tea. It was now seven o'clock. 'Is Mr. Wendover downstairs--in the dining-room or library?' Ida asked, trying not to look too anxious. 'I have not seen him, ma'am.' 'Inquire, please. I want to know where he is, and why he left his room so much earlier than usual.' She had a dismal feeling that all the household must know what was amiss, that the shame and degradation of the case could hardly be deepened. 'Yes, ma'am; I'll go and see.' 'Do, please, while I take my bath,' said Ida. 'You can come back to me in ten minutes.' The cold bath refreshed her, and she was dressing hurriedly when Jane Dyson returned to announce that Mr. Wendover and Sir Vernon had gone out fishing at half-past six--the under-housemaid had seen them go, and had heard Mr. Wendover say that they would have a long day. 'Go and ask her if she heard where they were going,' said Ida, going on with her dressing, eager to be out of doors on her brother's track.