He stopped as he turned his eyes upon where Claire crouched, as if he had suddenly become aware of her presence, and his face softened into a piteous yearning look as he stretched out his hands towards her, and then slowly rose to his feet. "I struck her," he muttered, "I struck her. My child--my darling! I-- I--Claire--Claire--" His voice was very low as he slowly sank upon his knees, and softly laid one hand upon her dress, raising it to his lips and kissing it with a curiously strange abasement in his manner. Claire did not move nor seem to hear him, and he crept nearer to her and timidly laid his hand upon her head. He snatched it away directly, and knelt there gazing at her wildly, for she shuddered, shrank from him, and, starting to her feet, backed towards the door with such a look of repulsion in her face that the old man clasped his hands together, and his lips parted as if to cry to her for mercy. But no sound left them, and for a full minute they remained gazing the one at the other. Then, with a heartrending sob, Claire drew open the door and hurried from the room. "What shall I do? What shall I do?" groaned Denville as he rose heavily to his feet. "It is too hard to bear. Better sleep--at once and for ever." He sank into his chair with his hands clasped and his elbows resting upon his knees, and he bent lower and lower, as if borne down by the weight of his sorrow; and thus he remained as the minutes glided by, till, hearing a step at last, and the jingle of glass, he rose quickly, smoothed his care-marked face, and thrusting his hand into his breast, began to pace the room, catching up hat and stick, and half closing his eyes, as if in deep thought. It was a good bit of acting, for when Isaac entered with a tray to lay the dinner cloth, and glanced quickly at his master, it was to see him calm and apparently buried in some plan, with not the slightest trace of domestic care upon his well-masked face. "Mr Morton at home, Isaac?" he said, with a slightly-affected drawl. "No, sir; been out hours." "Not gone fishing, Isaac?" "No, sir; I think Mr Morton's gone up to the barracks, sir. Said he should be back to dinner, sir." "That is right, Isaac. That is right. I think I will go for a little promenade before dinner myself." "He's a rum 'un," muttered the footman as he stood behind the curtain on one side of the window; "anyone would think we were all as happy as the day's long here, when all the time the place is chock full of horrors, and if I was to speak--" Isaac did not finish his sentence, but remained watching the Master of the Ceremonies with his careful mincing step till he was out of sight, when the footman turned from the window to stand tapping the dining-table with his finger tips.