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the　uppermost　terrace；　passing　the　chapel　without　observing　its
unmasked　windows。　The　great　door　was　standing　open：　he　went　in；　and
up　the　stair；　haunted　by　sounds　of　music　he　had　been　hearing　ever
since　he　stepped　on　the　terrace。

But　on　the　stair　was　a　door　he　had　never　seen！　Who　dared　make
changes　in　his　house？　The　thing　was　bewildering！　But　he　was
accustomed　to　be　bewildered。

He　opened　the　doorplainly　a　new　oneand　entered　a　gloomy　little
passage；　lighted　from　a　small　aperture　unfit　to　be　called　a　window。
The　under　side　of　the　bare　steps　of　a　narrow　stone　stair　were　above
his　head。　Had　he　or　had　he　not　ever　seen　the　place　before？　On　the
right　was　a　door。　He　went　to　it；　opened　it；　and　the　hitherto　muffled
music　burst　loud　on　his　ear。　He　started　back　in　dismal
apprehension：there　was　the　chapel；　wide　open　to　the　eye　of
day！clear　and　clean！gone　the　hideous　bed！　gone　the　damp　and　the
dust！　while　the　fresh　air　trembled　with　the　organ…breath　rushing　and
rippling　through　it；　and　setting　it　in　sweetest　turmoil！　He　had
never　had　such　a　peculiar　experience！　He　had　often　doubted　whether
things　were　or　were　not　projections　from　his　own　brain；　he　moved　and
acted　in　a　world　of　subdued　fact　and　enhanced　fiction；　he　knew　that
sometimes　he　could　not　tell　the　one　from　the　other；　but　never　had　he
had　the　apparently　real　and　the　actually　unreal　brought　so　much　face
to　face　with　each　other！　Everything　was　as　clear　to　his　eyes　as　in
their　prime　of　vision；　and　yet　there　could　be　no　reality　in　what　he
saw！

Ever　since　he　left　the　castle　he　had　been　greatly　uncertain　whether
the　things　that　seemed　to　have　taken　place　there；　had　really　taken
place。　He　got　himself　in　doubt　about　them　the　moment　he　failed　to
find　the　key　of　the　oak　door。　When　he　asked　himself　what　then　could
have　become　of　his　niece；　he　would　reply　that　doubtless　she　was　all
right：　she　did　not　want　to　marry　Forgue；　and　had　slipped　out　of　the
way：　she　had　never　cared　about　the　property！　To　have　their　own　will
was　all　women　cared　about！　Would　his　factor　otherwise　have　dared
such　liberties　with　him；　the　lady's　guardian？　He　had　not　yet
rendered　his　accounts；　or　yielded　his　stewardship。　When　she　died　the
property　would　be　his！　if　she　was　dead；　it　was　his！　She　would　never
have　dreamed　of　willing　it　away　from　him！　She　did　not　know　she
could：　how　should　she？　girls　never　thought　about　such　things！
Besides　she　would　not　have　the　heart：　he　had　loved　her　as　his　own
flesh　and　blood！

At　intervals；　nevertheless；　he　was　assailed；　at　times　overwhelmed；
by　the　partial　conviction　that　he　had　starved　her　to　death　in　the
chapel。　Then　he　was　tormented　as　with　all　the　furies　of　hell。　In　his
night　visions　he　would　see　her　lie　wasting；　hear　her　moaning；　and
crying　in　vain　for　help：　the　hardest　heart　is　yet　at　the　mercy　of　a
roused　imagination。　He　saw　her　body　in　its　progressive　stages　of
decay　as　the　weeks　passed；　and　longed　for　the　process　to　be　over；
that　he　might　go　back；　and　pretending　to　have　just　found　the　lost
room；　carry　it　away；　and　have　it　honourably　buried！　Should　he　take
it　for　granted　that　it　had　lain　there　for　centuries；　or　suggest　it
must　be　lady　Arcturathat　she　had　got　shut　up　there；　like　the　bride
in　the　chest？　If　he　could　but　find　an　old　spring　lock　to　put　on　the
door！　But　people　were　so　plaguy　sharp　nowadays！　They　found　out
everything！he　could　not　afford　to　have　everything　found　out！God
himself　must　not　be　allowed　to　know　everything！

He　stood　staring。　As　he　stood　and　stared；　his　mind　began　to　change：
perhaps；　after　all；　what　he　saw；　might　be！　The　whole　thing　it　had
displaced　must　then　be　a　fancya　creation　of　the　dreaming　brain！
God　in　heaven！　if　it　could　but　be　proven　that　he　had　never　done　it！
All　the　other　wicked　things　he　wasor　supposed　himself　guilty
ofsome　of　them　so　heavy　that　it　had　never　seemed　of　the　smallest
use　to　repent　of　themall　the　rest　might　be　forgiven　him！But　what
difference　would　that　make　to　the　fact　that　he　had　done　them？　He
could　never　take　his　place　as　a　gentleman　where　all　was　known！　They
made　such　a　fuss　about　a　sin　or　two；　that　a　man　went　and　did　worse
out　of　pure　despair！

But　if　he　had　never　murdered　anybody！　In　that　case　he　could　almost
consent　there　should　be　a　God！　he　could　almost　even　thank　him！For
what！　That　he　was　not　to　be　damned　for　the　thing　he　had　not　donea
thing　he　had　had　the　misfortune　to　dream　he　had　doneGod　never
interfering　to　protect　him　from　the　horrible　fancy？　What　was　the
good　of　a　God　that　would　not　do　that　much　for　youthat　left　his
creatures　to　make　fools　of　themselves；　and　only　laughed　at
them！Bah！　There　was　life　in　the　old　dog　yet！　If　only　he　knew　the
thing　for　a　fancy！

The　music　ceased；　and　the　silence　was　a　shock　to　him。　Again　he　began
to　stare　about　him。　He　looked　up。　Before　him　in　the　air　hovered　the
pale　face　of　the　girl　he　hador　had　not　murdered！　It　was　one　of　his
visionsbut　not　therefore　more　unreal　than　any　other　appearance：
she　came　from　the　world　of　his　imaginationso　real　to　him　that　in
expectant　moods　it　was　the　world　into　which　he　was　to　step　the
moment　he　left　the　body。　She　looked　sweetly　at　him！　She　was　come　to
forgive　his　sins！　Was　it　then　true？　Was　there　no　sin　of　murder　on
his　soul？　Was　she　there　to　assure　him　that　he　might　yet　hope　for　the
world　to　come？　He　stretched　out　his　arms　to　her。　She　turned　away。　He
thought　she　had　vanished。　The　next　moment　she　was　in　the　chapel；　but
he　did　not　hear　her；　and　stood　gazing　up。　She　threw　her　arms　around
him。　The　contact　of　the　material　startled　him　with　such　a　revulsion；
that　he　uttered　a　cry；　staggered　back；　and　stood　looking　at　her　in
worse　perplexity　still。　He　had　done　the　awful　thing；　yet　had　not
done　it！　He　stood　as　one　bound　to　know　the　thing　that　could　not　be。

〃Don't　be　frightened；　uncle；〃　said　Arctura。　〃I　am　not　dead。　The
sepulchre　is　the　only　resurrection…house！　Uncle；　uncle！　thank　God
with　me。〃

The　earl　stood　motionless。　Strange　thoughts　passed　through　him　at
their　will。　Had　her　presence　dispelled　darkness　and　death；　and
restored　the　lost　chapel　to　the　light　of　day？　Had　she　haunted　it
ever　since；　dead　yet　alive；　watching　for　his　return　to　pardon　him？
Would　his　wife　so　receive　him　at　the　last　with　forgiveness　and
endearment？　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　her。　His　lips　moved　tremulously
once　or　twice；　but　no　word　came。　He　turned　from　her；　glanced　round
the　place；　and　said；

〃It　is　a　great　improvement！〃

I　wonder　how　it　would　be　with　souls　if　they　waked　up　and　found　all
their　sins　but　hideous　dreams！　How　many　would　loathe　the　sin？　How
many　would　remain　capable　of　doing　all　again？　But　few；　perhaps　no
burdened　souls　can　have　any　idea　of　the　power　that　lies　in　God's
forgiveness　to　relieve　their　consciousness　of　defilement。　Those　who
say；　〃Even　God　cannot　destroy　the　fact！〃　care　more　about　their　own
cursed　shame　than　their　Father's　blessed　truth！　Such　will　rather
excuse　than　confess。　When　a　man　heartily　confesses；　leaving　excuse
to　God；　the　truth　makes　him　free；　he　knows　that　the　evil　has　gone
from　him；　as　a　man　knows　that　he　is　cured　of　his　plague。

〃I　did　the　thing；〃　he　says；　〃but　I　could　not　do　it　now。　I　am　the
same；　yet　not　the　same。　I　confess；　I　would　not　hide　it；　but　I　loathe
itten　times　the　more　that　the　evil　thing　was　mine。〃

Had　the　earl　been　able　to　say　thus；　he　would　have　felt　his　soul　a
cleansed　chapel；　new…opened　to　the　light　and　air；nay；　bettera
fresh…watered　garden；　in　which　the　fruits　of　the　spirit　had　begun　to
grow！　God's　forgiveness　is　as　the　burst　of　a　spring　morning　into　the
heart　of　winter。　His　autumn　is　the　paying　of　the　uttermost　farthing。
To　let　us　go　without　that　would　be　the　pardon　of　a　demon；　not　the
forgiveness　of　the　eternally　loving　God。　ButNot　yet；　alas；　not
yet！　has　to　be　said　over　so　many　souls！

Arctura　was　struck　dumb。　She　turned　and　walked　out　upon　the　great
stair；　her　uncle　following　her。　All　the　way　up　to　the　second　floor
she　felt　as　if　he　were　about　to　stab　her　in　the　back；　but　she　would
not　look　behind　her。　She　went　straight　to　her　room；　and　heard　her
uncle　go　on　to　his。　She　rang　her　bell；　sent　for　Donal；　and　told　him
what　had　passed。

〃I　will　go　to　him；〃　said　Donal。

Arctura　said　nothing　more；　thus　leaving　the　matter　entirely　in　his
hands。

Donal　found　him　lying　on　the　couch。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃you　must　be　aware　of　the　reasons　why　you　should
not　present　yourself　here！〃

The　earl　started　up　in　one　of　his　ready　rages：they　were　real
enough！　With　epithets　of　contemptuous　hatred；　he　ordered　Donal　from
the　room　and　the　house。　Donal　answered　nothing　till　the　rush　of　his
wrath　had　abated。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　nothing　I　would　not　do　to　serve　your
lordship。　But　I　have　no　choice　but　tell　you　that　if　you　do　not　walk
out；　you　shall　be　expelled！〃

〃Expelled；　you　dog！〃

〃Expelled；　my　lord。　The　would…be　murderer　of　his　hostess　must　at
least　be　put　out　of　the　house。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　the　earl；　changing　his　tone　with　an　attempted
laugh；　〃has　the　poor；　hysterical　girl　succeeded　in　persuading　a　man
of　your　sense　to　believe　her　childish　fancies？〃

〃I　believe　every　word　my　lady　says；　my　lord。　I　know　that　you　had
nearly　murdered　her。〃

The　earl　caught　up　the　poker　and　struck　at　his　head。　Donal　avoided
the　blow。　It　fell　on　the　marble　chimney…piece。　While　his　arm　was　yet
jarred　by　the　impact；　Donal　wrenched　the　poker　from　him。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃with　my　own　hands　I　drew　the　staple　of　the
chain　that　fastened　her　to　the　bed　on　which　you　left　her　to　die！　You
were　yet　in　the　house　when　I　did　so。〃

〃You　damned　rascal；　you　stole　the　key。　If　it　had　not　been　for　that　I
should　have　gone　to　her　again。　I　only　wanted　to　bring　her　to
reason！〃

〃But　as　you　had　lost　the　key；　rather　than　expose　your　cruelty；　you
went　away；　and　left　her　to　perish！　You　wanted　her　to　die　unless　you
could　compel　her　to　marry　your　son；　that　the　title　and　property
might　go　together；　and　that　when　with　my　own　ears　I　heard　your
lordship　tell　that　son　that　he　had　no　right　to　any　title！〃

〃What　a　man　may　say　in　a　rage　goes　for　nothing；〃　answered　the　earl；
sulkily　rather　than　fiercely。

〃But　not　what　a　woman　writes　in　sorrow！〃　rejoined　Donal。　〃I　know　the
truth　from　the　testimony　of　her　you　called　your　wife；