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56 perceive in life, something that turns the terror of existence into charm. His lips twitched into a ghastly smile, and he was just about to speak his thought the ecstasy snapped, and he knew that he would never think again.

He laughed a little hysterically, and Stella said:

"Is anything the matter, darling?"

"Oh! no," he replied. "Oh! no. I was just—er—a—" He became apologetic. "A—thinking, what a joke life is.”

"I always did say," murmured Mrs. Marwood in her sweet low tone, "I always did say that Digby had a delightful sense of humour."

Digby sank into silence. It was over. Everything was over. Never again for him would there be another situation. Life might be good to Stella: he hoped to God it might be; but life, which had never troubled much about him, had finished with him for ever. Nothing had happened. Nothing ever could happen. He had expected nothing and had got what he expected.