And he had had his hours of hope also.

A fortnight back a ray of hope, bright as the goblin light which shines the more brilliantly the darker be the night, had shone on him and amused and enchanted him.

And then, in one moment, God and man--or if not God, the devil--had joined to quench the hope; and this morning he sat sunk in deepest despair, all in and around him dark.

Hitherto he had regarded appearances.

He had hidden alike his malady and his fears, his apathy and his mad revolt; he had lived as usual.