Lord Rivercourt led the doctor back to his daughter, and left him with
her. There were some moments of chilling doubt and cold uncertainty, and
then came a rush of warm feeling at the bidding of a shy glance from
Lady Mary. He bent over her and murmured he scarcely knew what, but he
heard clearly and with a divine ecstasy a softly-whispered "_Yes!_"
which thrilled in his heart for days and months afterwards, and then he
turned to him her face, her beautiful face illumined with love, and
kissed it: between two who had been drawn together as they had, what
words were needed, or what could poor words convey?
About an hour later he walked to Savile Row to dress and return for
dinner. He walked, because he felt surcharged with life. He desired
peace and goodwill among men; he pitied with all his soul the weary and
the broken whom he met, and wondered with regret that men should get
irremediably involved in the toils of their own misdeeds; he was profuse
with coppers, and even small silver, to the wretched waifs of society
who swept the crossings he had to take on his triumphant way; he would
even have bestowed forgiveness on his greatest enemy if he had met him
then;--for the divine joy of love was singing in his heart and raising
him to the serene and glorious empyrean of heroes and gods.
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