“It is horrible,” whispered Vivienne raising her hands as if to lift some heavy weight from her shoulders. “To think of all these years of agony, my mother’s death, my father’s martyrdom, Stanton’s slow misery, my unhappiness, and all through the sin of one man. Now all seems brightness except the living death that has come upon the one who has caused all this trouble. If he never comes out of it, Judy, if he has no chance for repentance!”
“Don’t worry about him,” said Judy scornfully. “Think of your father. Hasn’t he a sweet face, and isn’t he a perfect gentleman? And you and Stanton thought to find him in some cobbler’s shop!”
“A cobbler can be a gentleman, Judy.”
“Ah, Miss Aristocrat, you’ve rather changed your opinions since you came to Halifax. By the way, why do we leave so soon as to-morrow? Is it because you are in a hurry to get Stanton away?”
“Yes, Judy.”
“And here comes that man you are so proud of. I think I’ll go to bed. I’ve stuff for a dozen nightmares.”
CHAPTER XLII
ACROSS THE SEA
Some weeks later Armour and his wife, with Judy and Mr. Delavigne, installed themselves in a suite of apartments in the principal hotel of a gray old English town. Outside Armour’s room ran a narrow iron balcony, and on this balcony he stood one evening, his hands behind his back, his face upturned to the sky.
“What star are your thoughts on?” asked Vivienne softly, as she came to the open window.
“One called Vivienne; won’t you come out?” he said. “It is very warm.”