Chapter XXV

           Thedayhadadvancedtoevening.LordMontbarryandthebridalpartyhadgonetotheOpera.Agnesalone,pleadingtheexcuseoffatigue,remainedatthehotel.Havingkeptupappearancesbyaccompanyinghisfriendstothetheatre,HenryWestwickslippedawayafterthefirstact,andjoinedAgnesinthedrawing-room.

           ’HaveyouthoughtofwhatIsaidtoyouearlierintheday?’heasked,takingachairatherside.’Doyouagreewithmethattheonedreadfuldoubtwhichoppressedusbothisatleastsetatrest?’

           Agnesshookherheadsadly.’IwishIcouldagreewithyou,Henry—IwishIcouldhonestlysaythatmymindisatease.’

           Theanswerwouldhavediscouragedmostmen.Henry’spatience(whereAgneswasconcerned)wasequaltoanydemandsonit.

           ’Ifyouwillonlylookbackattheeventsoftheday,’hesaid,’youmustsurelyadmitthatwehavenotbeencompletelybaffled.RememberhowDr.Brunodisposedofourdoubts:—"Afterthirtyyearsofmedicalpractice,doyouthinkIamlikelytomistakethesymptomsofdeathbybronchitis?"Ifevertherewasanunanswerablequestion,thereitis!Wastheconsul’stestimonydoubtfulinanypartofit?Hecalledatthepalacetoofferhisservices,afterhearingofLordMontbarry’sdeath;hearrivedatthetimewhenthecoffinwasinthehouse;hehimselfsawthecorpseplacedinit,andthelidscreweddown.Theevidenceofthepriestisequallybeyonddispute.Heremainedintheroomwiththecoffin,recitingtheprayersforthedead,untilthefuneralleftthepalace.