However, the painter was not to be defeated in his
intention; indeed I noticed during the conversation that although
D'Arcy yielded to the sophistries of his companion, he did so
wilfully. While he forced his mind, as it were, to accept these
sophistries there seemed to be all the while in his consciousness a
perception that sophistries they were. He ended by giving me his
address and inviting me to call upon him.
'I am only making a brief stay in London,' he said; 'I am working
hard at a picture in the country, but business just now calls me to
London for a short time.'
With this we parted at the door of the restaurant.
II
It was through the merest accident that I saw these two men again.
One evening I had been dining with my mother and aunt. I think I may
say that I had now become entirely reconciled to my mother. I used to
call upon her often, and at every call I could not but observe how
dire was the struggle going on within her breast between pride and
remorse. She felt, and rightly felt, that the loss of Winifred among
the Welsh hills had been due to her harshness in sending the stricken
girl away from Raxton, to say nothing of her breaking her word with
me after having promised to take my place and watch for the exposure
of the cross by the wash of the tides until the danger was certainly
past.
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