"And who has touched them now?" asked Thomasina in a hard voice.
"I think—it is my impression—that Dr. Lister found them and persuaded her."
Thomasina sank back in her chair.
"Did you know Basil Everman well?" asked Dr. Scott.
"Yes." Thomasina's voice was now a whisper.
"I wonder whether you would talk to me about him. I must prepare a biographical chapter and the material is so very scant."
Thomasina rose unsteadily, and asked to be excused for a moment. She went out into the hall and climbed the stairs slowly. When she came back she carried her little inlaid box as though it contained precious and fragile jewels. She stood before Dr. Scott and held it out.
"Here are Basil Everman's letters," said she. "They show all his plans and hopes. They were written to me." The first utterance of a bride could have been no more filled with sweet triumph. "I did not know that any of his plans had been carried out. I did not know anything survived. You may use the letters if you wish."
Dr. Scott felt like Richard that there were moments in life to which one could say, "Linger, thou art so fair!"
Thomasina still held out the little box.