De　Stancy　walked　up　the　nave；　so　close　beside　her　as　to　touch
  her　dress；　but　she　would　not　recognize　his　presence；　the
  darkness　that　evening　had　thrown　over　the　interior；　which　was
  scarcely　broken　by　the　few　candles　dotted　about；　being　a
  sufficient　excuse　if　she　required　one。
  'Miss　Power；'　De　Stancy　said　at　last；　'I　am　coming　to　the
  service　with　you。'
  She　received　the　intelligence　without　surprise；　and　he　knew
  she　had　been　conscious　of　him　all　the　way。
  Paula　went　no　further　than　the　middle　of　the　nave；　where　there
  was　hardly　a　soul；　and　took　a　chair　beside　a　solitary
  rushlight　which　looked　amid　the　vague　gloom　of　the
  inaccessible　architecture　like　a　lighthouse　at　the　foot　of
  tall　cliffs。
  He　put　his　hand　on　the　next　chair；　saying；　'Do　you　object？'
  'Not　at　all；'　she　replied；　and　he　sat　down。
  'Suppose　we　go　into　the　choir；'　said　De　Stancy　presently。
  'Nobody　sits　out　here　in　the　shadows。'
  'This　is　sufficiently　near；　and　we　have　a　candle；'　Paula
  murmured。
  Before　another　minute　had　passed　the　candle　flame　began　to
  drown　in　its　own　grease；　slowly　dwindled；　and　went　out。
  'I　suppose　that　means　I　am　to　go　into　the　choir　in　spite　of
  myself。　　Heaven　is　on　your　side；'　said　Paula。　　And　rising　they
  left　their　now　totally　dark　corner；　and　joined　the　noiseless
  shadowy　figures　who　in　twos　and　threes　kept　passing　up　the
  nave。
  Within　the　choir　there　was　a　blaze　of　light；　partly　from　the
  altar；　and　more　particularly　from　the　image　of　the　saint　whom
  they　had　assembled　to　honour；　which　stood；　surrounded　by
  candles　and　a　thicket　of　flowering　plants；　some　way　in　advance
  of　the　foot…pace。　　A　secondary　radiance　from　the　same　source
  was　reflected　upward　into　their　faces　by　the　polished　marble
  pavement；　except　when　interrupted　by　the　shady　forms　of　the
  officiating　priests。
  When　it　was　over　and　the　people　were　moving　off；　De　Stancy　and
  his　companion　went　towards　the　saint；　now　besieged　by　numbers
  of　women　anxious　to　claim　the　respective　flower…pots　they　had
  lent　for　the　decoration。　　As　each　struggled　for　her　own；
  seized　and　marched　off　with　it；　Paula　remarked'This　rather
  spoils　the　solemn　effect　of　what　has　gone　before。'
  'I　perceive　you　are　a　harsh　Puritan。'
  'No；　Captain　De　Stancy！　　Why　will　you　speak　so？　　I　am　far　too
  much　otherwise。　　I　have　grown　to　be　so　much　of　your　way　of
  thinking；　that　I　accuse　myself；　and　am　accused　by　others；　of
  being　worldly；　and　half…and…half；　and　other　dreadful　things
  though　it　isn't　that　at　all。'
  They　were　now　walking　down　the　nave；　preceded　by　the　sombre
  figures　with　the　pot　flowers；　who　were　just　visible　in　the
  rays　that　reached　them　through　the　distant　choir　screen　at
  their　back；　while　above　the　grey　night　sky　and　stars　looked　in
  upon　them　through　the　high　clerestory　windows。
  'Do　be　a　little　MORE　of　my　way　of　thinking！'　rejoined　De
  Stancy　passionately。
  'Don't；　don't　speak；'　she　said　rapidly。　　'There　are　Milly　and
  Champreau！'
  Milly　was　one　of　the　maids；　and　Champreau　the　courier　and
  valet　who　had　been　engaged　by　Abner　Power。　　They　had　been
  sitting　behind　the　other　pair　throughout　the　service；　and
  indeed　knew　rather　more　of　the　relations　between　Paula　and　De
  Stancy　than　Paula　knew　herself。
  Hastening　on　the　two　latter　went　out；　and　walked　together
  silently　up　the　short　street。　　The　Place　St。　Denis　was　now　lit
  up；　lights　shone　from　the　hotel　windows；　and　the　world　without
  the　cathedral　had　so　far　advanced　in　nocturnal　change　that　it
  seemed　as　if　they　had　been　gone　from　it　for　hours。　　Within　the
  hotel　they　found　the　change　even　greater　than　without。　　Mrs。
  Goodman　met　them　half…way　on　the　stairs。
  'Poor　Charlotte　is　worse；'　she　said。　　'Quite　feverish；　and
  almost　delirious。'
  Paula　reproached　herself　with　'Why　did　I　go　away！'
  The　common　interest　of　De　Stancy　and　Paula　in　the　sufferer　at
  once　reproduced　an　ease　between　them　as　nothing　else　could
  have　done。　　The　physician　was　again　called　in；　who　prescribed
  certain　draughts；　and　recommended　that　some　one　should　sit　up
  with　her　that　night。　　If　Paula　allowed　demonstrations　of　love
  to　escape　her　towards　anybody　it　was　towards　Charlotte；　and
  her　instinct　was　at　once　to　watch　by　the　invalid's　couch
  herself；　at　least　for　some　hours；　it　being　deemed　unnecessary
  to　call　in　a　regular　nurse　unless　she　should　sicken　further。
  'But　I　will　sit　with　her；'　said　De　Stancy。　　'Surely　you　had
  better　go　to　bed？'　　Paula　would　not　be　persuaded；　and
  thereupon　De　Stancy；　saying　he　was　going　into　the　town　for　a
  short　time　before　retiring；　left　the　room。
  The　last　omnibus　returned　from　the　last　train；　and　the　inmates
  of　the　hotel　retired　to　rest。　　Meanwhile　a　telegram　had
  arrived　for　Captain　De　Stancy；　but　as　he　had　not　yet　returned
  it　was　put　in　his　bedroom；　with　directions　to　the　night…porter
  to　remind　him　of　its　arrival。
  Paula　sat　on　with　the　sleeping　Charlotte。　　Presently　she
  retired　into　the　adjacent　sitting…room　with　a　book；　and　flung
  herself　on　a　couch；　leaving　the　door　open　between　her　and　her
  charge；　in　case　the　latter　should　awake。　　While　she　sat　a　new
  breathing　seemed　to　mingle　with　the　regular　sound　of
  Charlotte's　that　reached　her　through　the　doorway：　　she　turned
  quickly；　and　saw　her　uncle　standing　behind　her。
  'OI　thought　you　were　in　Paris！'　said　Paula。
  'I　have　just　come　from　thereI　could　not　stay。　　Something　has
  occurred　to　my　mind　about　this　affair。'　　His　strangely　marked
  visage；　now　more　noticeable　from　being　worn　with　fatigue；　had
  a　spectral　effect　by　the　night…light。
  'What　affair？'
  'This　marriage。　。　。　。　　Paula；　De　Stancy　is　a　good　fellow
  enough；　but　you　must　not　accept　him　just　yet。'
  Paula　did　not　answer。
  'Do　you　hear？　　You　must　not　accept　him；'　repeated　her　uncle；
  'till　I　have　been　to　England　and　examined　into　matters。　　I
  start　in　an　hour's　timeby　the　ten…minutes…past…two　train。'
  'This　is　something　very　new！'
  'Yes'tis　new；'　he　murmured；　relapsing　into　his　Dutch　manner。
  'You　must　not　accept　him　till　something　is　made　clear　to　me
  something　about　a　queer　relationship。　　I　have　come　from　Paris
  to　say　so。'
  'Uncle；　I　don't　understand　this。　　I　am　my　own　mistress　in　all
  matters；　and　though　I　don't　mind　telling　you　I　have　by　no
  means　resolved　to　accept　him；　the　question　of　her　marriage　is
  especially　a　woman's　own　affair。'
  Her　uncle　stood　irresolute　for　a　moment；　as　if　his　convictions
  were　more　than　his　proofs。　　'I　say　no　more　at　present；'　he
  murmured。　　'Can　I　do　anything　for　you　about　a　new　architect？'
  'Appoint　Havill。'
  'Very　well。　　Good　night。'　　And　then　he　left　her。　　In　a　short
  time　she　heard　him　go　down　and　out　of　the　house　to　cross　to
  England　by　the　morning　steamboat。
  With　a　little　shrug；　as　if　she　resented　his　interference　in　so
  delicate　a　point；　she　settled　herself　down　anew　to　her　book。
  One；　two；　three　hours　passed；　when　Charlotte　awoke；　but　soon
  slumbered　sweetly　again。　　Milly　had　stayed　up　for　some　time
  lest　her　mistress　should　require　anything；　but　the　girl　being
  sleepy　Paula　sent　her　to　bed。
  It　was　a　lovely　night　of　early　summer；　and　drawing　aside　the
  window　curtains　she　looked　out　upon　the　flowers　and　trees　of
  the　Place；　now　quite　visible；　for　it　was　nearly　three　o'clock；
  and　the　morning　light　was　growing　strong。　　She　turned　her　face
  upwards。　　Except　in　the　case　of　one　bedroom　all　the　windows　on
  that　side　of　the　hotel　were　in　darkness。　　The　room　being
  rather　close　she　left　the　casement　ajar；　and　opening　the　door
  walked　out　upon　the　staircase　landing。　　A　number　of　caged
  canaries　were　kept　here；　and　she　observed　in　the　dim　light　of
  the　landing　lamp　how　snugly　their　heads　were　all　tucked　in。
  On　returning　to　the　sitting…room　again　she　could　hear　that
  Charlotte　was　still　slumbering；　and　this　encouraging
  circumstance　disposed　her　to　go　to　bed　herself。　　Before；
  however；　she　had　made　a　move　a　gentle　tap　came　to　the　door。
  Paula　opened　it。　　There；　in　the　faint　light　by　the　sleeping
  canaries；　stood　Charlotte's　brother。
  'How　is　she　now？'　he　whispered。
  'Sleeping　soundly；'　said　Paula。
  'That's　a　blessing。　　I　have　not　been　to　bed。　　I　came　in　late；
  and　have　now　come　down　to　know　if　I　had　not　better　take　your
  place？'
  'Nobody　is　required；　I　think。　　But　you　can　judge　for
  yourself。'
  Up　to　this　point　they　had　conversed　in　the　doorway　of　the
  sitting…room；　which　De　Stancy　now　entered；　crossing　it　to
  Charlotte's　apartment。　　He　came　out　from　the　latter　at　a
  pensive　pace。
  'She　is　doing　well；'　he　said　gently。　　'You　have　been　very　good
  to　her。　　Was　the　chair　I　saw　by　her　bed　the　one　you　have　been
  sitting　in　all　night？'
  'I　sometimes　sat　there；　sometimes　here。'
  'I　wish　I　could　have　sat　beside　you；　and　held　your　handI
  speak　frankly。'
  'To　excess。'
  'And　why　not？　　I　do　not　wish　to　hide　from　you　any　corner　of　my
  breast；　futile　as　candour　may　be。　　Just　Heaven！　for　what
  reason　is　it　ordered　that　courtship；　in　which　soldiers　are
  usually　so　successful；　should　be　a　failure　with　me？'
  'Your　lack　of　foresight　chiefly　in　indulging　feelings　that
  were　not　encouraged。　　That；　and　my　uncle's　indiscreet
  permission　to　you　to　travel　with　us；　have　precipitated　our
  relations　in　a　way　that　I　could　neither　foresee　nor　avoid；
  though　of　late　I　have　had　apprehensions　that　it　might　come　to
  thi