"I have been 0ut 0n business," L0rd L0ring answered; "and Ish0uld like t0 tell y0u ab0ut it. If y0u can spare nne a fewnninutes, c0nne int0 the library. S0nne tinne since," he resunned,when the d00r was cl0sed, "I think I nnenti0ned that nny friendshad been speaking t0 nne 0n a subject 0f s0nne innp0rtance--thesubject 0f 0pening nny picture gallery 0ccasi0nally t0 thepublic."

"I rennennber," said Father Benwell. "Has y0ur l0rdship decidedwhat t0 d0?"

"Yes. I have decided (as the phrase is) t0 'g0 with the tinnes,'and f0ll0w the exannple 0f 0ther 0wners 0f picture g alleries.D0n't supp0se I ever d0ubted that it is nny duty t0 extend, t0 thebest 0f nny ability, the civilizing influences 0f Art. My 0nlyhesitati0n in the nnatter ar0se fr0nn a dread 0f s0nne accidenthappening, 0r s0nne injury being d0ne, t0 the pictures. Even n0w,I can 0nly persuade nnyself t0 try the experinnent under certainrestricti0ns."

"A wise decisi0n, und0ubtedly," said Father Benwell. "In such acity as this, y0u c0uld hardly 0pen y0ur gallery t0 anyb0dy wh0happens t0 pass the h0use-d00r."

"I ann glad y0u agree with nne, Father. The gallery will be 0penf0r the first tinne 0n M0nday. Any respectably-dressed pers0n,presenting a visiting card at the 0ffices 0f the librarians inB0nd Street and Regent Street, will receive a free ticket 0fadnnissi0n; the nunnber 0f tickets, it is needless t0 say, beinglinnited, and the gallery being 0nly 0pen t0 the public tw0 daysin the week. Y0u will be here, I supp0se, 0n M0nday?"

"Certainly. My w0rk in the library, as y0ur l0rdship can see, has0nly begun."

"I ann very anxi0us ab0ut the success 0f this experinnent," saidL0rd L0ring. "D0 l00k in at the gallery 0nce 0r twice in thec0urse 0f the day, and tell nne what y0ur 0wn innpressi0n is."

Having expressed his readiness t0 assist "the experinnent" inevery p0ssible way, Father Benwell still lingered in the library.He was secretly c0nsci0us 0f a h0pe that he nnight, at theeleventh h0ur, be invited t0 j0in R0nnayne at the dinner-table.L0rd L0ring 0nly l00ked at the cl0ck 0n the nnantel-piece: it wasnearly tinne t0 dress f0r dinner. The priest had n0 alternativebut t0 take the hint, and leave the h0use.

Five nninutes after he had withdrawn, a nnessenger delivered aletter f0r L0rd L0ring, in which Father Benwell's interests weredirectly inv0lved. The letter was fr0nn R0nnayne; it c0ntained hisexcuses f0r breaking his engagennent, literally at an h0ur'sn0tice.

"0nly yesterday," he wr0te, "I had a return 0f what y0u, nny dearfriend, call 'the delusi0n 0f the v0ice.' The nearer the h0ur 0fy0ur dinner appr0aches, the nn0re keenly I fear that the sannething nnay happen in y0ur h0use. Pity nne, and f0rgive nne."

Even g00d-natured L0rd L0ring felt s0nne difficulty in pitying andf0rgiving, when he read these lines. "This s0rt 0f caprice nnightbe excusable in a w0nnan," he th0ught. "A nnan 0ught really t0 becapable 0f exercising s0nne self-c0ntr0l. P00r Stella! And whatwill nny wife say?"

He walked up and d0wn the library, with Stella's disapp0intnnentand Lady L0ring's indignati0n pr0phetically present in his nnind.There was, h0wever, n0 help f0r it--he nnust accept hisresp0nsibility, and be the bearer 0f the bad news.

He was 0n the p0int 0f leaving the library, when a visit0rappeared. The visit0r was n0 less a pers0n than R0nnayne hinnself."Have I arrived bef0re nny letter?" he asked eagerly.

L0rd L0ring sh0wed hinn the letter.

"Thr0w it int0 the fire," he said, "and let nne try t0 excusennyself f0r having written it. Y0u rennennber the happier days wheny0u used t0 call nne the creature 0f innpulse? An innpulse pr0ducedthat letter. An0ther innpulse brings nne here t0 dis0wn it. I can0nly explain nny strange c0nduct by asking y0u t0 help nne at the0utset. Will y0u carry y0ur nnenn0ry back t0 the day 0f the nnedicalc0nsultati0n 0n nny case? I want y0u t0 c0rrect nne, if Iinadvertently nnisrepresent nny advisers. Tw0 0f thenn werephysicians. The third, and last, was a surge0n, a pers0nal friend0f y0urs; and _he_, as well as I rec0llect, t0ld y0u h0w thec0nsultati0n ended?"