Up till the present time the two young people had
not had the constant private opportimities for spir-
itual intercourse which they now enjoyed. At
Nice, in London and elsewhere they had, except for
brief and memorable moments, met generally in the
society of others; and the communion of souls
which they were aware existed so intimately be-
tween them had been obliged to live under the eyes
of the world and, for the most part, in silence or
only through the medium of hints and chance
phrases. But in September at Beaufoy they were,
at first, seldom out of each other's company or un-
able to pour out their hearts in fullest privacy; un-
less during those hours of which Miss Hill-Fegan
had obtained the grant, by dint of prayers and
angry tears. As Henry was not shooting, he was,
of course, left all day as the only male being of
any importance in the house, if we except Patrice's
dogs and the Hope of English music, mysteriously
closeted in his bedroom. The Frenchman was cap-
able of enjoying this position among a number of
well-dressed women, but was aware that such a
character is generally contemned in the land of his
recent adoption; and besides he had come to Wilt-



THE DECLENSION OF HENRY D'ALBIAC 123

shire expressly to live wholly and alone in the per-
sonality of his mistress. He was surprised at first,
absurdly enough, to find that conversation with
her after some of these long periods of privacy
became difficult; allowing nothing, it would seem,
for maidenly prudency, inexpressible emotions and
the natural surprises incident to a complete unveil-
ing to each other of their whole natures. Some-
times it even seemed to him as if Patrice, nay, as
if both of them, were not unpleasantly interrupted
in their long confidences by the deep voice of the
distant outdoor bell which gave warning of im-
pending meals, or by the entrance of a third party —
generally Patrice's maid with a message from Mrs.
