purpose that had been purely masculine in its strength and sanity. She
had been wholly matter-of-fact and unimaginative, unswayed by petty
trivialities and broad in her decision. She had displayed a levelness of
mind which had almost excluded feeling and which had enabled him to deal
with her as with another man, confident of her understanding and the
unlikelihood of her succumbing unexpectedly to ordinary womanly
weaknesses. He had thought that he knew her thoroughly, that no
circumstance that might arise could alter characteristics so set and
inherent. But to-day her present emotion which had come perilously near
hysteria, showed her in a new light that made her almost a stranger. He
was a little bewildered with the discovery. It was incredible after all
these years, just as if an edifice that he had thought strongly built of
stone had tumbled about his ears like a pack of cards. He could hardly
grasp it. He felt that there was something behind it all--something more
than she admitted. He was tempted to ask definitely but second
reflection brought the conviction that it would be a mistake, that it
would be taking an unfair advantage. Sufficient unto the day--his
present concern was to help her regain a normal mental poise. And to do
that he must ignore half of what her suggestions seemed to imply. He
felt her breakdown acutely, he must say nothing that would add to her
distress of mind. It was better to appear obtuse than to concur too
heartily in fears, a recollection of which in a saner moment he knew
would be distasteful to her. She would never forgive herself--the less
she had to forget the better. She trusted him or she would never have
spoken at all. That he knew and he was honoured by her confidence. They
had always been friends, but in her weakness he felt nearer to her than
ever before. She was waiting for him to speak. He chose the line that
seemed the least open to argument. He spoke at last, evenly, unwilling
alike to seem incredulous or overanxious, his big steady hand closing
warmly over her twitching fingers.