and fatigued debauchery, she traced reflectively the lineaments of the
younger and cleanlier countenance she had seen a few months before.
Nothing essential had been taken away. There was only this pestiferous
overlaying of shame and cowardice to be removed. The face underneath was
still all right.

With a soft, maternal touch, she smoothed the hair from his forehead
into order. Then she seated herself, and, when he got his hand out from
under the robe and thrust it forth timidly, she took it in hers and
held it in a warm, sympathetic grasp. He closed his eyes at this, and
gradually the paroxysmal catch in his breathing lapsed. The daylight
strengthened, until at last tiny flecks of sunshine twinkled in the
meshes of the further curtains at the window. She fancied him asleep,
and gently sought to disengage her hand, but his fingers clutched at it
with vehemence, and his eyes were wide open.

"I can't sleep at all," he murmured. "I want to talk."

"There 's nothing in the world to hinder you," she commented smilingly.

"I tell you the solemn truth," he said, lifting his voice in dogged
assertion: "the best sermon I ever preached in my life, I preached only
three weeks ago, at the camp-meeting. It was admitted by everybody to be
far and away my finest effort! They will tell you the same!"

"It's quite likely," assented Sister Soulsby. "I quite believe it."

"Then how can anybody say that I've degenerated, that I've become a
fool?" he demanded.