He spoke quietly, and in an almost matter-of-fact way, yet with a suggestion of reverence in his tones.
"Who knows who is watching over us now?" continued the old man. "Ah, if we could only see! 'Are they not all ministering spirits sent to minister to those who are heirs of Salvation?'"
Dick felt a shiver pass through him. He reflected that on that very spot, only a few hours before, he had seen something, _something_--a luminous figure, a pale, sad face--sad almost to agony!
"Mr. Faversham," asked Hugh Stanmore suddenly, "who is Count Romanoff?"
"I don't know much about him," replied Dick. "He was a fellow-passenger on board the boat on which I was bound for Australia some time ago. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing. Only he will have a great influence on your life."
"How do you know?" Dick was greatly excited.
"I have no reason to give you. I only know."
"Good or bad?" asked the young man eagerly.
"I don't know. But did you notice that Beatrice didn't like him? And I've never once known her wrong in her estimate of people. There, look at her now, amongst the moon's rays under the trees. Doesn't she look like an angel? Yes, and she _is_ an angel--one of God's sweetest and purest and best. But as human as every woman ought to be. Good-night, Mr. Faversham. Yes, my darling, I'm coming," and the old man went down the drive with the activity of a boy.
Dick watched them until they were out of sight. He was influenced more than he knew by their visit. Their presence, after Count Romanoff's cynicism, was like some sweet-scented balm; like a breeze from the mountains after the fetid atmosphere of a cavern.
"Well, what did you think of them?" he asked of Romanoff on his return.
The Count shrugged his shoulders. "There's not much to think, is there?" he asked.
"I think there is a great deal. I found the old man more interesting than almost any caller I have had."
"A dull, prosy, platitudinous old Polonius; as for the girl, she's just a badly behaved, unformed, bread-and-butter miss."
Dick did not speak. The Count's words grated on him.
"By the way," went on Romanoff, "I should like to meet Lady Blanche Huntingford. I think I knew the old Lord."
"I promised to call to-morrow afternoon," replied Dick. "I'll take you over." But he was not so enthusiastic as the Count expected.