He took his leave almost immediately, bearing with him a deep
impression--like a strongly bitten etching wrought on his memory--of his
last glimpse of the drawing-room: Nora and Julius set talking across a
small table, and the tall, pale, gaunt figure of Dr Rippon approaching
and stooping between them. It seemed a sinister reminder of the words
the old doctor had addressed to Julius,--"_A time will come when death
will appear more beautiful and friendly and desirable than life!_"
Chapter IV.
The Man of the Crowd.
In a few days Dr Lefevre found a quiet afternoon, and went and told his
mother the story of the Spanish marquis which he had got from Dr Rippon.
She hailed the story with delight. Courtney was a fascinating figure to
her before: it needed but that to clothe him with a complete romantic
heroism; for, of course, she did not doubt that he was the son of the
Spanish grandee. She wished to put it to him at once whether he was not,
but she was dissuaded by her son from mentioning the matter yet to
either Julius or her daughter.
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