Society waits with becoming patience. "Inasmuch as the prominent
citizens saw fit to render Esther's sorrow conspicuous," says Mrs.
Grundy, "it is perfectly decent that she should remain in complete
retirement."

Nevertheless notice is secretly served on the entire matrimonial world.

Esther Lockwin will soon be worth not a penny less than five million
dollars!




CHAPTER IV

A KNOLLING BELL

It seems to Esther Lockwin that her night of sorrow grows heavier. The
books open to her a new world of emotions. Ere her bridal veil was
dyed black she had read of life and creation as inexpressibly joyous.
The lesson was always that she should look upon the glories of nature
and give thanks.

Now the title of each chapter is "Sorrow." The omniscient Shakespeare
preaches of sorrow. The tender and beautiful Richter teaches of the
nightingale. Tennyson, Longfellow, Carlyle, Beecher, Bovee, the great
ancient stoics, the Bible itself, becomes a discourse on that tragic
phenomenon of the soul, where peace goes out, where longing takes the
place of action, where the will sets itself against the universe.