'The doctor said you looked as if you had not had any sleep for several
nights. I told him that that was strange, for you were taking chloral.'

'I sleep well enough,' she said. 'But sometimes life seems so sad, that I
do not think I shall be able to bear with it any longer. You do not know
how unfortunate I have been. When I was a child, father and mother used to
quarrel always, and I was the only child. That was why Mr. Burnett asked me
to come and live at Ashwood. I came at first on a visit; and when father
and mother died, he said he wished to adopt me. I thought he loved me; but
his love was only selfishness. No one has ever loved me. I feel so utterly
alone in this world--that is why I am unhappy.'

Her eyes filled with tears, and at the sight of her tears Hubert's feelings
were overwrought, and again he had to walk aside. He would give her all
things; but she was dying for him, and he could not save her. No longer was
there any disguisement between them. The words they uttered were as
nothing, so clearly did the thought shine out of their eyes, 'I am dying of
love for you,' and then the answer, 'I know that is so, and I cannot help
it.' Her whole soul was spoken in her eyes, and he felt that his eyes
betrayed him equally plainly. They stood in a sort of mental nakedness. The
woman no longer sought for words to cover herself with; the man did, but he
did not find them. They had not spoken for some time; they had been
thinking of each other. At last she said, and with the querulous perversity
of the sick---

'But even if I wished to go abroad, with whom could I go?'

Hubert fell into the trap, and, noticing the sudden brightness in his eyes,
a cloud of disappointment shadowed hers. 'Of course, with Mrs. Bentley. I
assure you, my dear Emily, that you----'