Once I saw you a beautiful thing with swift wings all torn off in a
sticky mess. Now I see you very shining--"
She looked at him with blinded eyes.
"Always I'm going to make myself see you like that now. Never, never
will I let a greedy or unclean thought of mine dull you.
And--please--you'll try to--to--do the same for me, won't you?"
He could not speak yet. He realized how terribly right she was.
"It's harder for us both, that you've been here and this has happened,"
she said. "Harder! But better! Neither of us, for each other's sake, can
have any more cheap thrills, slothful moments, thoughts without courage.
Oh good-bye."
She turned towards him and saw that he was lying on the grass. His
shoulders were shaking. She knew that he was crying. That seemed
terrible to her. She had to run, then, very quickly away from him or she
would have stayed--and been soft. As she ran she, too, was crying.
CHAPTER XXIX
Louis was on the verandah as she came round the fence. She saw his eyes
blazing madly, his face distorted, his hands clenched. He came to meet
her, raging.
"Where've you been?" he choked out.
She waved her hand over towards where Kraill was. She could not speak.
"Whose is this hat? It's that damned professor's!"
"Yes."
"Where is he? Why are you crying? He's come here after you!" he raved.
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