Michael did not leave the room for long after this. He came in from time to time to see if he were wanted. But there was very little for anyone to do. The flame of life was flickering to its close, and the practised eye of the physician knew that in another hour or two all would be over.
'You can go in,' he said to Mollie; 'nothing makes any difference now.'
Then Mollie crept to her brother's side.
Cyril lay very quiet; but by and by he roused himself to send a message to Kester. And then he spoke of his father.
'Will you give him my love?' he said. 'I wanted to see more of him. I think if I had only known him better I could have loved him.'
'I will tell him this, dear Cyril.'
'Thank you.'
And then he closed his eyes again. And as Audrey bent over him, it seemed to her as though his face were almost perfect in that stillness. Presently he asked his mother to come closer, and she at once obeyed him.
'Mother,' he said pleadingly, 'you will try to give me up?'
But she made a gesture of dissent.