On the stroke of six, a violent ring at the bell, impatiently repeated, was heard at the door. Philip, who had heard a cab draw up outside the studio, trembled with excitement at the sound of the bell and let fall his palette and brush. "It is he," he cried; "it is de Lussac! no one else would ring violently like that. He has good news, he must have--yes," he shouted, wild with joy, "it is his step, I hear him." And he ran to meet the young attaché, whose voice he recognised. Dora had thrown her book down on the sofa, and had risen from her chair. De Lussac came briskly into the studio, with a telegram in his hand, which he waved about his head. "Good news! Victory!" he cried. "Hip, hip, hurrah! as you say in England--adopted unanimously, my dear fellow. The Government offers you a million francs for the shell--here is the wire!" Philip was half beside himself with joy. He seized the telegram from the hands of the attaché, read it, re-read it, and handed it back. Dora, mute, immobile, was standing a couple of paces off. "Oh, Dora dear, my dream is realised at last! For months I have worked in secret. I was so afraid of failing that I have never dared mention a word to you about this thing, but I have succeeded. I am rewarded for all my labour and agony of anxiety about my invention. This shell is bought by the French Government. I am rich--rich!" he cried. "Do you hear, darling? Oh, my Dora!" And he folded her lovingly in his arms. Eva had come, running in at the sound of her father's shouts, which had reached her ears. "Daddy, daddy, what is the matter?" Philip seized the child and lifted her in the air. "Why, the matter is that your papa is a rich man. Are you glad?" "Oh yes, of course I am very glad," said the child, seeing her father's beaming face. "Then we are going to be happier than ever?" "Why, to be sure we are," said Philip, executing another swing of the child into the air. Dora seemed to be stunned. She did not realise the situation, which, for that matter, could only be fully explained by Philip later on. All that the poor woman clearly understood for the moment was, that in the present state of excitement in which Philip appeared to be, he would certainly not finish the portrait that day. Philip begged de Lussac to stay and dine, and also sent a telegram to Lorimer, to tell him the great news and ask him to try and join them. He needed friends to help him bear his joy. To bear hers, Dora would have chosen to be alone with Philip. In moments of greatest joy a woman prefers solitude with the man she loves, and Dora was vexed that Philip should invite de Lussac and Lorimer to pass this evening with him. The two sexes will probably never understand each other. It may possibly be that each one judges the other by its own. VII THE NEW HOUSE