Beatrice's grief for Wonder was such as only a mother can know. She had
but one consolation,--the kind sad eyes of Antony. She had lost Wonder,
but Antony had come back again. Wonder was not so dead as Antony had
seemed a month ago.

When they had left Wonder and were back in the house which was now twice
desolate, Antony took Beatrice's hands very tenderly and said:--

"I have been very wrong all these months. For a shadow I have missed the
lovely reality of a little child--and for a shadow, my own faithful
wife, I have all this time done you cruel wrong. But my eyes are open
now, I have come out of the evil dream that bound me--and never shall I
enter it again. Let us go from here. Let us leave this valley and never
come back to it any more."

So it was arranged that they should winter far away, returning only to
the valley for a few short days in the spring, and then leave it for
ever. They had no heart now for more than just to fly from that haunted
place, and before night fell in the valley they were already far away.

In vain Silencieux listened for the sound of her lover's step in the
wood, for he had vowed that he would never look upon her face again.




CHAPTER XVI


THE FIRST TALK ON THE HILLS