ThenIhadlanded，andwasgoingbacktowhereherhorsestoodstillandtrembling。
　　Weexchangednogreetings。Sheslidfromhersaddleintomyarms，andforoneinstantIheldher。
　　“Thosegreatwings。”shesaid，andthatwasall。
　　Shelayinmyarms，andIthoughtforamomentshehadfainted。
　　“Verynearanastyaccident。”saidCothope，comingupandregardingourgroupingwithdisfavour。Hetookherhorsebythebridle。“Verydangerousthingcomingacrossuslikethat。”
　　Beatricedisengagedherselffromme，stoodforamomenttrembling，andthensatdownontheturf“I’lljustsitdownforamoment。”shesaid。
　　“Oh！”shesaid。
　　Shecoveredherfacewithherhands，whileCothopelookedatherwithanexpressionbetweensuspicionandimpatience。
　　Forsomemomentsnobodymoved。ThenCothoperemarkedthatperhapshe’dbettergetherwater。
　　Asforme，Iwasfilledwithanewoutrageousidea，begottenI
　　scarcelyknowhowfromthisincident，withitsinstantcontactsandswiftemotions，andthatwasthatImustmakelovetoandpossessBeatrice。Iseenoparticularreasonwhythatthoughtshouldhavecometomeinthatmoment，butitdid。IdonotbelievethatbeforethenIhadthoughtofourrelationsinsuchtermsatall。Suddenly，asIrememberit，thefactorofpassioncame。Shecrouchedthere，andIstoodoverher，andneitherofussaidaword。Butitwasjustasthoughsomethinghadbeenshoutedfromthesky。
　　Cothopehadgonetwentypacesperhapswhensheuncoveredherface。“Ishan’twantanywater。”shesaid。“Callhimback。”
　　Afterthatthespiritofourrelationschanged。Theoldeasehadgone。Shecametomelessfrequently，andwhenshecameshewouldhavesomeonewithher，usuallyoldCarnaby，andhewoulddothebulkofthetalking。AllthroughSeptembershewasaway。
　　Whenwewerealonetogethertherewasacuriousconstraint。Webecamecloudsofinexpressiblefeelingtowardsoneanother；wecouldthinkofnothingthatwasnottoomomentousforwords。
　　ThencamethesmashofLordRobertsA，andIfoundmyselfwithabandagedfaceinabedroomintheBedleyCornerdower-housewithBeatricepresidingoveraninefficientnurse，LadyOspreyverypinkandshockedinthebackground，andmyauntjealouslyintervening。
　　Myinjuriesweremuchmoreshowythanserious，andIcouldhavebeentakentoLadyGrovenextday，butBeatricewouldnotpermitthat，andkeptmeatBedleyCornerthreecleardays。Intheafternoonoftheseconddayshebecameextremelysolicitousfortheproperaerationofthenurse，packedheroffforanhourinabriskrain，andsatbymealone。
　　Iaskedhertomarryme。
　　AllthewholeImustadmititwasnotasituationthatlentitselftoeloquence。Ilayonmybackandtalkedthroughbandages，andwithsomelittledifficulty，formytongueandmouthhadswollen。ButIwasfeverishandinpain，andtheemotionalsuspenseIhadbeeninsolongwithregardtoherbecamenowanunendurableimpatience。
　　“Comfortable？”sheasked。
　　“Yes。”
　　“ShallIreadtoyou？”
　　“No。Iwanttotalk。”
　　“Youcan’t。I’dbettertalktoyou。”
　　“No。”Isaid，“Iwanttotalktoyou。”
　　Shecameandstoodbymybedsideandlookedmeintheeyes。“I
　　don’t——Idon’twantyoutotalktome。”shesaid。“Ithoughtyoucouldn’ttalk。”
　　“Igetfewchances——ofyou。”
　　“You’dbetternottalk。Don’ttalknow。Letmechatterinstead。
　　Yououghtnottotalk。”
　　“Itisn’tmuch“Isaid。
　　“I’dratheryoudidn’t。”
　　“I’mnotgoingtobedisfigured。”Isaid。“Onlyascar。”
　　“Oh！”shesaid，asifshehadexpectedsomethingquitedifferent。“Didyouthinkyou’dbecomeasortofgargoyle？”
　　“L’HommequiRit！——Ididn’tknow。Butthat’sallright。Jollyflowersthoseare！”
　　“Michaelmasdaisies。”shesaid。“I’mgladyou’rnotdisfigured，andthoseareperennialsunflowers。Doyouknownoflowersatall？WhenIsawyouonthegroundIcertainlythoughtyouweredead。Yououghttohavebeen，byalltherulesofthegame。”
　　Shesaidsomeotherthings，butIwasthinkingofmynextmove。
　　“Arewesocialequals？”Isaidabruptly。
　　Shestaredatme。“Queerquestion。”shesaid。
　　“Butarewe？”
　　“H’m。Difficulttosay。Butwhydoyouask？IsthedaughterofacourtesyBaronwhodied——ofgeneraldisreputableness，I
　　believe——beforehisfather——？Igiveitup。Doesitmatter？”
　　“No。Mymindisconfused。Iwanttoknowifyouwillmarryme。”
　　Shewhitenedandsaidnothing。IsuddenlyfeltImustpleadwithher。“Damnthesebandages！”Isaid，breakingintoineffectualfebrilerage。
　　Sherousedherselftoherdutiesasnurse。“Whatareyoudoing？
　　Whyareyoutryingtositup？Sitdown！Don’ttouchyourbandages。Itoldyounottotalk。”
　　Shestoodhelplessforamoment，thentookmefirmlybytheshouldersandpushedmebackuponthepillow。ShegrippedthewristofthehandIhadraisedtomyface。
　　“Itoldyounottotalk。”shewhisperedclosetomyface。“I
　　askedyounottotalk。Whycouldn’tyoudoasIaskedyou？”
　　“You’vebeenavoidingmeforamonth。”Isaid。
　　“Iknow。Youmighthaveknown。Putyourhandback——downbyyourside。”
　　Iobeyed。Shesatontheedgeofthebed。Aflushhadcometohercheeks，andhereyeswereverybright。“Iaskedyou。”sherepeated，“nottotalk。”
　　Myeyesquestionedhermutely。
　　Sheputherhandonmychest。Hereyesweretormented。
　　“HowcanIansweryounow？”shesaid。
　　“HowcanIsayanythingnow？”
　　“Whatdoyoumean？”Iasked。
　　Shemadenoanswer。
　　“Doyoumeanitmustbe’No’？”
　　Shenodded。
　　“But“Isaid，andmywholesoulwasfullofaccusations。
　　“Iknow。”shesaid。“Ican’texplain。Ican’t。Butithastobe’No！’Itcan’tbe。It’sutterly，finally，foreverimpossible。Keepyourhandsstill！”
　　“But。”Isaid，“whenwemetagain——“
　　“Ican’tmarry。Ican’tandwon’t。”
　　Shestoodup。“Whydidyoutalk？”shecried，“couldn’tyouSEE？”
　　Sheseemedtohavesomethingitwasimpossibletosay。
　　ShecametothetablebesidemybedandpulledtheMichaelmasdaisiesawry。“Whydidyoutalklikethat？”shesaidinatoneofinfinitebitterness。“Tobeginlikethat！”
　　“Butwhatisit？”Isaid。“Isitsomecircumstance——mysocialposition？”
　　“Oh，DAMNyoursocialposition！”shecried。
　　Shewentandstoodatthefurtherwindow，staringoutattherain。Foralongtimewewereabsolutelystill。Thewindandraincameinlittlegustsuponthepane。Sheturnedtomeabruptly。
　　“Youdidn’taskmeifIlovedyou。”shesaid。
　　“Oh，ifit’sTHAT！”saidI。
　　“It’snotthat。”shesaid。“Butifyouwanttoknow——“Shepaused。
　　“Ido。”shesaid。
　　Westaredatoneanother。
　　“Ido——withallmyheart，ifyouwanttoknow。”
　　“Then，whythedevil——？”Iasked。