THE interval of eight-and-forty hours passed--without theoccurrence of any personal communication between the two brothersin that time.

Julius, remaining at his father's house, sent brief writtenbulletins of Lord Holchester's health to his brother at thehotel. The first bulletin said, "Going on well. Doctorssatisfied." The second was firmer in tone. "Going on excellently.Doctors very sanguine." The third was the most explicit of all."I am to see my father in an hour from this. The doctors answerfor his recovery. Depend on my putting in a good word for you, ifI can; and wait to hear from me further at the hotel."

Geoffrey's face darkened as he read the third bulletin. He calledonce more for the hated writing materials. There could be nodoubt now as to the necessity of communicating with Anne. LordHolchester's recovery had put him back again in the same criticalposition which he had occupied at Windygates. To keep Anne fromcommitting some final act of despair, which would connect himwith a public scandal, and ruin him so far as his expectationsfrom his father were concerned, was, once more, the only safepolicy that Geoffrey could pursue. His letter began and ended intwenty words:

"DEAR ANNE,--Have only just heard that my father is turning thecorner. Stay where you are. Will write again."

Having dispatched this Spartan composition by the post, Geoffreylit his pipe, and waited the event of the interview between LordHolchester and his eldest son.

Julius found his father alarmingly altered in personalappearance, but in full possession of his faculties nevertheless.Unable to return the pressure of his son's hand--unable even toturn in the bed without help--the hard eye of the old lawyer wasas keen, the hard mind of the old lawyer was as clear, as ever.His grand ambition was to see Julius in Parliament. Julius wasoffering himself for election in Perthshire, by his father'sexpress desire, at that moment. Lord Holchester entered eagerlyinto politics before his eldest son had been two minutes by hisbedside.

"Much obliged, Julius, for your congratulations. Men of my sortare not easily killed. (Look at Brougham and Lyndhurst!) Youwon't be called to the Upper House yet. You will begin in theHouse of Commons--precisely as I wished. What are your prospectswith the constituency? Tell me exactly how you stand, and where Ican be of use to you."

"Surely, Sir, you are hardly recovered enough to enter on mattersof business yet?"

"I am quite recovered enough. I want some present interest tooccupy me. My thoughts are beginning to drift back to past times,and to things which are better forgotten." A sudden contractioncrossed his livid face. He looked hard at his son, and enteredabruptly on a new question. "Julius!" he resumed, "have you everheard of a young woman named Anne Silvester?"

Julius answered in the negative. He and his wife had exchangedcards with Lady Lundie, and had excused themselves from acceptingher invitation to the lawn-party. With the exception of Blanche,they were both quite ignorant of the persons who composed thefamily circle at Windygates.

"Make a memorandum of the name," Lord Holchester went on. "AnneSilvester. Her father and mother are dead. I knew her father informer times. Her mother was ill-used. It was a bad business. Ihave been thinking of it again, for the first time for manyyears. If the girl is alive and about the world she may rememberour family name. Help her, Julius, if she ever wants help, andapplies to you." The painful contraction passed across his faceonce more. Were his thoughts taking him back to the memorablesummer evening at the Hampstead villa? Did he see the desertedwoman swooning at his feet again? "About your election?" heasked, impatiently. "My mind is not used to be idle. Give itsomething to do."

Julius stated his position as plainly and as briefly as he could.The father found nothing to object to in the report--except theson's absence from the field of action. He blamed Lady Holchester for summoning Julius to London. He was annoyed at hisson's being there, at the bedside, when he ought to have beenaddressing the electors. "It's inconvenient, Julius," he said,petulantly. "Don't you see it yourself?"

Having previously arranged with his mother to take the firstopportunity that offered of risking a reference to Geoffrey,Julius decided to "see it" in a light for which his father wasnot prepared. The opportunity was before him. He took it on thespot.

"It is no inconvenience to me, Sir," he replied, "and it is noinconvenience to my brother either. Geoffrey was anxious aboutyou too. Geoffrey has come to London with me."

Lord Holchester looked at his eldest son with a grimly-satiricalexpression of surprise.

"Have I not already told you," he rejoined, "that my mind is notaffected by my illness? Geoffrey anxious about me! Anxiety is oneof the civilized emotions. Man in his savage state is incapableof feeling it."

"My brother is not a savage, Sir."

"His stomach is generally full, and his skin is covered withlinen and cloth, instead of red ochre and oil. So far, certainly,your brother is civilized. In all other respects your brother isa savage."

"I know what you mean, Sir. But there is something to be said forGeoffrey's way of life. He cultivates his courage and hisstrength. Courage and strength are fine qualities, surely, intheir way?"

"Excellent qualities, as far as they go. If you want to know howfar that is, challenge Geoffrey to write a sentence of decentEnglish, and see if his courage doesn't fail him there. Give himhis books to read for his degree, and, strong as he is, he willbe taken ill at the sight of them. You wish me to see yourbrother. Nothing will induce me to see him, until his way of life(as you call it) is altered altogether. I have but one hope ofits ever being altered now. It is barely possible that theinfluence of a sensible woman--possessed of such advantages ofbirth and fortune as may compel respect, even from asavage--might produce its effect on Geoffrey. If he wishes tofind his way back into this house, let him find his way back intogood society first, and bring me a daughter-in-law to plead hiscause for him--whom his mother and I can respect and receive.When that happens, I shall begin to have some belief in Geoffrey.Until it does happen, don't introduce your brother into anyfuture conversations which you may have with Me. To return toyour election. I have some advice to give you before you go back.You will do well to go back to-night. Lift me up on the pillow. Ishall speak more easily with my head high."

His son lifted him on the pillows, and once more entreated him tospare himself.

It was useless. No remonstrances shook the iron resolution of theman who had hewed his way through the rank and file of politicalhumanity to his own high place apart from the rest. Helpless,ghastly, snatched out of the very jaws of death, there he lay,steadily distilling the clear common-sense which had won him allhis worldly rewards into the mind of his son. Not a hint wasmissed, not a caution was forgotten, that could guide Juliussafely through the miry political ways which he had trodden sosafely and so dextrously himself. An hour more had passed beforethe impenetrable old man closed his weary eyes, and consented totake his nourishment and compose himself to rest. His last words,rendered barely articulate by exhaustion, still sang the praisesof party manoeuvres and political strife. "It's a grand career! Imiss the House of Commons, Julius, as I miss nothing else!"

Left free to pursue his own thoughts, and to guide his ownmovements, Julius went straight from Lord Holchester's bedside toLady Holchester's boudoir.

"Has your father said any thing about Geoffrey?" was his mother'sfirst question as soon as he entered the room.

"My father gives Geoffrey a last chance, if Geoffrey will onlytake it."

Lady Holchester's face clouded. "I know," she said, with a lookof disappointment. "His last chance is to read for his degree.Hopeless, my dear. Quite hopeless! If it had only been somethingeasier than that; something that rested with me--"

"It does rest with you," interposed Julius. "My dear mother!--canyou believe it?--Geoffrey's last chance is (in one word)Marriage!"

"Oh, Julius! it's too good to be true!"

Julius repeated his father's own words. Lady Holchester lookedtwenty years younger as she listened. When he had done she rangthe bell.

"No matter who calls," she said to the servant, "I am not athome." She turned to Julius, kissed him, and made a place for himon the sofa by her side. "Geoffrey shall take _that_ chance," shesaid, gayly--"I will answer for it! I have three women in mymind, any one of whom would suit him. Sit down, my dear, and letus consider carefully which of the three will be most likely toattract Geoffrey, and to come up to your father's standard ofwhat his daughter-in-law ought to be. When we have decided, don'ttrust to writing. Go yourself and see Geoffrey at his hotel."

Mother and son entered on their consultation--and innocentlysowed the seeds of a terrible harvest to come.