The Third Window

, yet only a few hours could have gone by before he was awakened by a rapping at his half-open door. Even as he drowsil

nd saw Thompson stan

essly neat outline, had still so much of professional decorum th

she said. And then he saw

seemed to know nothing else, and he threw on his dressing-gown and took up his crutches whil

llwood ill?

e's dead," s

ered and he had not known whether he were alive or dead. But this was worse. This was not like the moment in France. There wa

since Mr. Wellwood was killed. And she must have made a mistake. It must have been a mistake, mustn't it, sir? She had everything to live for." Thompson broke i

aid Bevis. "

at the first sight of her. She lay on her back and her head was sunken down on her breast as though with a doggedness of oblivion. Still, she

side her stood the little tray of early morning tea that Thompson had brough

e reached the bed and l

. Thank you so muc

nting Miss Latimer; an

ed the moments that had led her to this act. It had not been unintentional. He remembered her still look, her ineffable gentlene

in what she craved to be unending sleep, from the haunting figure of her husband. Or perhaps it had been in atonement to Malcolm and she had believed herself going to him. Bu

here, her hair dishevelled, a bright Chinese robe wrapped round her, there was in her gaze none of the fear or the bewilderment of the night before. It saw him, and its cruel radiance was for him; yet it passed beyond him. Free, exultant, it soared above him, above Tony, li

oo late last night. If you'd gone in to her last n

se hours that he had guarded her, she had been sinking, sinking away from him. He remembered his vision of her pi

gaze was upon him; bu

id the young ma

height at the outsoared menace of a half-vanished earth. And

aved herself. You drove her to

n, more than she loved Malcolm. Nothing stood between us but your lies. You determined and plotted it, wh

olm she loved more dearly. She chose between you. She knew herself too weak to stay. He came

dropped from him. He felt only a sick loathing and exhaustion. "Leave me," he muttered. "Y

ernatural triumph. She obeyed as if recognizing to the full his claim upon the distenanted form lying there. For a moment only she paused beside the bed and

oom. The door closed softly behind her, and he

E

versid

E · MASS

S