 inviting his confidence, but of necessity they
spoke together at last. Reuben could no longer disguise the ennui under which he
was labouring. Instead of sitting in the library, he loitered about the
drawing-room; he was often absent through the whole day, and Cecily knew that he
had not been at the Museum.
    »I'm at a stand-still,« he admitted, when the opportunity came. »I don't see
my way so clearly as at first. I must take up some other subject for a time, and
rest my mind.«
    They had no society worth speaking of. Mrs. Lessingham had supplied them
with a few introductions, but these people were now out of town. Earlier in the
year neither of them had cared to be assiduous in discharging social
obligations, with the natural result that little notice was taken of them in
turn. Reuben had resumed two or three of his old connections; a bachelor
acquaintance now and then came to dine; but this was not the kind of society
they needed. Impossible for them to utter the truth, and confess that each
other's companionship was no longer all-sufficient. Had Reuben been veritably
engaged in serious work, Cecily might have gone on for a long time with her own
studies before she wearied for lack of variety and friendly voices; as it was,
the situation became impossible.
    »Wouldn't you like to belong to a club?« she one day asked.
    And Reuben caught at the suggestion. Not long ago, it would have caused him
to smile rather scornfully.
    Cecily had lost her faith in the great militant book on Puritanism. Thinking
about it, when it had been quite out of her mind for a few days, she saw the
project in a light of such absurdity that, in spite of herself, she laughed. It
was laughter that pained her, like a sob. No, that was not the kind of work for
him. What was?
    She would think rather of her child and its future. If Clarence lived - if
he lived - she herself would take charge of his education for the first years.
She must read the best books that had been written on the training of children's
minds; everything should be smoothed for him by skilful methods. There could be
little doubt that he would prove a quick child, and the delight of watching his
progress! She imagined him a boy of ten, bright, trustful, happy; he would have
no nearer friend than his mother; between him and her should exist limitless
confidence. But
