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Under his eager, earnest words, Christine's eyes also lighted up with hope, but after a moment her face became very sad, and she said, wearily, "Mystery! mystery! you are speaking a language that I do not understand."
He caught one sentence: "Don't lose the key." It was the landlady's voice. The door facing the sea was opened and locked again. Then all was still. Raoul ran back to his room and threw back the window. Christine's white form stood on the deserted quay.
Christine's missing husband was taking shape as a myth among the surrounding residents; but he was still believed in as corporeally imminent by Christine herself, and also, in a milder degree, by Nicholas. For a curious unconsciousness of the long lapse of time since his revelation of himself seemed to affect the pair.
"And you are going home, David?" She spoke quietly. "I I don't know yet," he stammered. Christine's face had been averted. Now she looked at him. "You oh, David, you don't really think of staying with us?" she cried, her eyes glowing. "You must not think of it, David," whispered her mother hastily. "Your place is at Jenison Hall. You belong there.
He had also dreamed of a brilliant wedding in Holland, of a large reception at Harrisville, and had even heard the plaudits of his fellow artists in New York, as they lauded his master piece "Admiral De Ruyter's Great Naval Victory." Fortified with these proofs of Christine's devotion, he sought the company of his blond sweetheart on a balcony that overlooked the moon-lit harbor of Amsterdam.
Perhaps Cynthia Farrow had not realised what she was doing perhaps she judged all women by her own standard; but surely even she would have been more than satisfied with the results could she have seen Christine's face as she sat there in the big, silent room, with the afternoon sunshine streaming around her.
The complacent sophistries of her girlhood no longer answered for truth. She put her arms around Christine's shoulders. "A man who drinks is a broken reed," said Christine. "That's what I'm going to marry and lean on the rest of my life a broken reed. And that isn't all!" She got up quickly, and, trailing her long satin train across the floor, bolted the door.
Love! what was it? Nought but a passing illusion. This thought at last mastered him, possessed him entirely; and soon the craving for nothingness as his only refuge came on him stronger than ever. At first he let Christine's head slip down from his shoulder on which it rested. And then, as a third summons rang out in his mind, he rose and went to the studio, saying: 'Yes, yes, I'm coming,
Christine's sharp little cry came as the first flash died away, but another followed in a second's time. The man was now facing the doorway, his body bent forward, his white face gleaming in the unnatural light. David had withdrawn his arms from about Christine and had planted himself in front of her. Pitchy darkness returned in the fraction of a second. Distinctly they heard a laugh.
Noel said he was an old friend of Christine's, who was anxious to do all that was possible for her, and had the satisfaction of seeing that he had inspired Dr. Belford with confidence in him.
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