On ascending he found her already there. She sat in the observing-chair:
the warm light from the west, which flowed in through the opening of the
dome, brightened her face, and her face only, her robes of sable lawn
rendering the remainder of her figure almost invisible.
'You have come!' she said with shy pleasure. 'I did not require you.
But never mind.' She extended her hand cordially to him.
Before speaking he looked at her with a great new interest in his eye.
It was the first time that he had seen her thus, and she was altered in more
than dress. A soberly-sweet expression sat on her face. It was of a
rare and peculiar shade--something that he had never seen before in
woman.
'Have you nothing to say?' she continued. 'Your footsteps were audible
to me from the very bottom, and I knew they were yours. You look almost
restored.' 'I am almost restored,' he replied, respectfully pressing her hand. 'A
reason for living arose, and I lived.' 'What reason?' she inquired, with a rapid blush.
He pointed to the rocket-like object in the western sky.
'Oh, you mean the comet. Well, you will never make a courtier! You
know, of course, what has happened to me; that I have no longer a
husband--have had none for a year and a half. Have you also heard that I
am now quite a poor woman? Tell me what you think of it.' 'I have thought very little of it since I heard that you seemed to mind
poverty but little. There is even this good in it, that I may now be
able to show you some little kindness for all those you have done me, my
dear lady.' 'Unless for economy's sake, I go and live abroad, at Dinan, Versailles,
or Boulogne.' Swithin, who had never thought of such a contingency, was earnest in his
regrets; without, however, showing more than a sincere friend's
disappointment.
'I did not say it was absolutely necessary,' she continued. 'I have, in
fact, grown so homely and home-loving, I am so interested in the place
and the people here, that, in spite of advice, I have almost determined
not to let the house; but to continue the less business-like but
pleasanter alternative of living humbly in a part of it, and shutting up
the rest.' 'Your love of astronomy is getting as strong as mine!' he said ardently.
'You could not tear yourself away from the observatory!' 'You might have supposed me capable of a little human feeling as well as
scientific, in connection with the observatory.' 'Dear Lady Constantine, by admitting that your astronomer has also a part
of your interest--' 'Ah, you did not find it out without my telling!' she said, with a
playfulness which was scarcely playful, a new accession of pinkness being
visible in her face. 'I diminish myself in your esteem by reminding
you.' 'You might do anything in this world without diminishing yourself in my
esteem, after the goodness you have shown. And more than that, no
misrepresentation, no rumour, no damning appearance whatever would ever
shake my loyalty to you.' 'But you put a very matter-of-fact construction on my motives sometimes.
You see me in such a hard light that I have to drop hints in quite a
manoeuvring manner to let you know I am as sympathetic as other people.