The strain of the situation was more than he could bear.

To live under the same roof with her, and not to claim her for his own was impossible--to adhere to the terms of his promise, never to allude to his former acquaintance with her was utterly beyond his power.

"Base--dishonourable!" Could it have been Valmai who spoke to him in these terms?
or was he the victim of some strange hallucination?
When at last the evening came to an end, he thankfully lighted his candle at the hall table, the whole family hovering round with various hopes that "he would sleep well," "that he didn't mind a feather-bed," "that he didn't mind the sun shining in in the morning." "You can close the shutters, you know.

Good-night." "What time does the post come in the morning ?" he asked.
"Oh! at seven o'clock; you can have your letters brought up if you wish; but we always like to have them on our plates at breakfast.

Bob will bring yours up." "If it's no trouble," said Cardo.
There was a whole chorus of "certainly not!" "of course not!" under cover of which he made his way safely round the turning on the stair-case.