He had just gone into the drawing room, when suddenly a plaintive moan sounded from the bedroom, smothered instantly.

He stood still, and for a long while he could not understand.

"Yes, that is she," he said to himself, and clutching at his head he ran downstairs.

"Lord have mercy on us! pardon us! aid us!" he repeated the words that for some reason came suddenly to his lips.

And he, an unbeliever, repeated these words not with his lips only.