Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/313

XVII] tell us that Arthur had gone away with the two fishermen, leaving word that he would be back in about an hour. And, true enough, at the end of that intervalduring which very little was said, none of us seeming to have the heart to talkthe front-door once more creaked on its rusty hinges, and a step was heard in the passage, hardly to be recognised as Arthur's, so slow and uncertain was it, like a blind man feeling his way.

He came in, and stood before Lady Muriel, resting one hand heavily on the table, and with a strange look in his eyes, as if he were walking in his sleep.

"Murielmy love" he paused, and his lips quivered: but after a minute he went on more steadily. "Murielmy darlingtheywant medown in the harbour."

"Must you go?" she pleaded, rising and laying her hands on his shoulders, and looking up into his face with her great eyes brimming over with tears. "Must you go, Arthur? It may meandeath!"

He met her gaze without flinching. "It does mean death," he said, in a husky whisper:

2