“Theairwasfullofmusic，fullofharmoniousscents，fulloftherhythmofbeautifulmotions。Thousandsofbeautifulpeopleswarmedaboutthehall，crowdedthegalleries，satinamyriadrecesses；theyweredressedinsplendidcoloursandcrownedwithflowers；thousandsdancedaboutthegreatcirclebeneaththewhiteimagesoftheancientgods，andgloriousprocessionsofyouthsandmaidenscameandwent。Wetwodanced，notthedrearymonotoniesofyourdays——ofthistime，Imean——butdancesthatwerebeautiful，intoxicating。AndevennowIcanseemyladydancing——
　　dancingjoyously。Shedanced，youknow，withaseriousface；shedancedwithaseriousdignity，andyetshewassmilingatmeandcaressingme——smilingandcaressingwithhereyes。
　　“Themusicwasdifferent，“hemurmured。“Itwent——Icannotdescribeit；butitwasinfinitelyricherandmorevariedthananymusicthathasevercometomeawake。
　　“Andthen——itwaswhenwehaddonedancing——amancametospeaktome。Hewasalean，resoluteman，verysoberlycladforthatplace，andalreadyIhadmarkedhisfacewatchingmeinthebreakfastinghall，andafterwardsaswewentalongthepassageIhadavoidedhiseye。Butnow，aswesatinalittlealcove，smilingatthepleasureofallthepeoplewhowenttoandfroacrosstheshiningfloor，hecameandtouchedme，andspoketomesothatIwasforcedtolisten。
　　Andheaskedthathemightspeaktomeforalittletimeapart。
　　“’No，’Isaid。’Ihavenosecretsfromthislady。Whatdoyouwanttotellme？’
　　“Hesaiditwasatrivialmatter，oratleastadrymatter，foraladytohear。
　　“’Perhapsformetohear，’saidI。
　　“Heglancedather，asthoughalmosthewouldappealtoher。ThenheaskedmesuddenlyifIhadheardofagreatandavengingdeclarationthatEveshamhadmade。Now，Eveshamhadalwaysbeforebeenthemannexttomyselfintheleadershipofthatgreatpartyinthenorth。
　　Hewasaforcible，hardandtactlessman，andonlyIhadbeenabletocontrolandsoftenhim。Itwasonhisaccountevenmorethanmyown，Ithink，thattheothershadbeensodismayedatmyretreat。
　　SothisquestionaboutwhathehaddonereawakenedmyoldinterestinthelifeIhadputasidejustforamoment。
　　“’Ihavetakennoheedofanynewsformanydays，’Isaid。’WhathasEveshambeensaying？’
　　“Andwiththatthemanbegan，nothingloath，andImustconfessevenIwasstruckbyEvesham’srecklessfollyinthewildandthreateningwordshehadused。AndthismessengertheyhadsenttomenotonlytoldmeofEvesham’sspeech，butwentontoaskcounselandtopointoutwhatneedtheyhadofme。Whilehetalked，myladysatalittleforwardandwatchedhisfaceandmine。
　　“Myoldhabitsofschemingandorganisingreassertedthemselves。
　　Icouldevenseemyselfsuddenlyreturningtothenorth，andallthedramaticeffectofit。Allthatthismansaidwitnessedtothedisorderofthepartyindeed，butnottoitsdamage。IshouldgobackstrongerthanIhadcome。AndthenIthoughtofmylady。
　　Yousee——howcanItellyou？Therewerecertainpeculiaritiesofourrelationship——asthingsareIneednottellyouaboutthat——whichwouldrenderherpresencewithmeimpossible。Ishouldhavehadtoleaveher；indeed，Ishouldhavehadtorenounceherclearlyandopenly，ifIwastodoallthatIcoulddointhenorth。AndthemanknewTHAT，evenashetalkedtoherandme，knewitaswellasshedid，thatmystepstodutywere——first，separation，thenabandonment。Atthetouchofthatthoughtmydreamofareturnwasshattered。Iturnedonthemansuddenly，ashewasimagininghiseloquencewasgaininggroundwithme。
　　“’WhathaveItodowiththesethingsnow？’Isaid。’Ihavedonewiththem。DoyouthinkIamcoquettingwithyourpeopleincominghere？’
　　“’No，’hesaid；’but——’
　　“’Whycannotyouleavemealone？Ihavedonewiththesethings。
　　Ihaveceasedtobeanythingbutaprivateman。’
　　“’Yes，’heanswered。’Buthaveyouthought？——thistalkofwar，theserecklesschallenges，thesewildaggressions——’
　　“Istoodup。
　　“’No，’Icried。’Iwon’thearyou。Itookcountofallthosethings，Iweighedthem——andIhavecomeaway。’
　　“Heseemedtoconsiderthepossibilityofpersistence。Helookedfrommetowheretheladysatregardingus。
　　“’War，’hesaid，asifhewerespeakingtohimself，andthenturnedslowlyfrommeandwalkedaway。Istood，caughtinthewhirlofthoughtshisappealhadsetgoing。
　　“Iheardmylady’svoice。
　　“’Dear，’shesaid；’butiftheyhaveneedofyou——’
　　“Shedidnotfinishhersentence，sheletitrestthere。Iturnedtohersweetface，andthebalanceofmymoodswayedandreeled。
　　“’Theywantmeonlytodothethingtheydarenotdothemselves，’I
　　said。’IftheydistrustEveshamtheymustsettlewithhimthemselves。’
　　“Shelookedatmedoubtfully。
　　“’Butwar——’shesaid。
　　“IsawadoubtonherfacethatIhadseenbefore，adoubtofherselfandme，thefirstshadowofthediscoverythat，seenstronglyandcompletely，mustdriveusapartforever。
　　“Now，Iwasanoldermindthanhers，andIcouldswayhertothisbelieforthat。
　　“’Mydearone，’Isaid，’youmustnottroubleoverthesethings。
　　Therewillbenowar。Certainlytherewillbenowar。Theageofwarsispast。Trustmetoknowthejusticeofthiscase。Theyhavenorightuponme，dearest，andnoonehasarightuponme。
　　Ihavebeenfreetochoosemylife，andIhavechosenthis。’
　　“’ButWAR——’shesaid。
　　“Isatdownbesideher。Iputanarmbehindherandtookherhandinmine。Isetmyselftodrivethatdoubtaway——Isetmyselftofillhermindwithpleasantthingsagain。Iliedtoher，andinlyingtoherIliedalsotomyself。Andshewasonlytooreadytobelieveme，onlytooreadytoforget。
　　“Verysoontheshadowhadgoneagain，andwewerehasteningtoourbathing-placeintheGrottadelBovoMarino，whereitwasourcustomtobatheeveryday。Weswamandsplashedoneanother，andinthatbuoyantwaterIseemedtobecomesomethinglighterandstrongerthanaman。Andatlastwecameoutdrippingandrejoicingandracedamongtherocks。AndthenIputonadrybathing-dress，andwesattobaskinthesun，andpresentlyInodded，restingmyheadagainstherknee，andsheputherhanduponmyhairandstrokeditsoftlyandIdozed。Andbehold！asitwerewiththesnappingofthestringofaviolin，Iwasawakening，andIwasinmyownbedinLiverpool，inthelifeofto-day。
　　“OnlyforatimeIcouldnotbelievethatallthesevividmomentshadbeennomorethanthesubstanceofadream。
　　“Intruth，Icouldnotbelieveitadreamforallthesoberingrealityofthingsaboutme。Ibathedanddressedasitwerebyhabit，andasIshavedIarguedwhyIofallmenshouldleavethewomanIlovedtogobacktofantasticpoliticsinthehardandstrenuousnorth。EvenifEveshamdidforcetheworldbacktowar，whatwasthattome？Iwasaman，withtheheartofaman，andwhyshouldIfeeltheresponsibilityofadeityforthewaytheworldmightgo？
　　“YouknowthatisnotquitethewayIthinkaboutaffairs，aboutmyrealaffairs。Iamasolicitor，youknow，withapointofview。
　　“Thevisionwassoreal，youmustunderstand，soutterlyunlikeadreamthatIkeptperpetuallyrecallinglittleirrelevantdetails；
　　eventheornamentofabook-coverthatlayonmywife’ssewing-machineinthebreakfast-roomrecalledwiththeutmostvividnessthegiltlinethatranabouttheseatinthealcovewhereIhadtalkedwiththemessengerfrommydesertedparty。Haveyoueverheardofadreamthathadaqualitylikethat？“
　　“Like——？“
　　“Sothatafterwardsyourememberedlittledetailsyouhadforgotten。“
　　Ithought。Ihadnevernoticedthepointbefore，buthewasright。
　　“Never，“Isaid。“Thatiswhatyouneverseemtodowithdreams。“
　　“No，“heanswered。“ButthatisjustwhatIdid。Iamasolicitor，youmustunderstand，inLiverpool，andIcouldnothelpwonderingwhattheclientsandbusinesspeopleIfoundmyselftalkingtoinmyofficewouldthinkifItoldthemsuddenlyIwasinlovewithagirlwhowouldbebornacoupleofhundredyearsorsohence，andworriedaboutthepoliticsofmygreat-great-great-grandchildren。
　　Iwaschieflybusythatdaynegotiatinganinety-nine-yearbuildinglease。Itwasaprivatebuilderinahurry，andwewantedtotiehimineverypossibleway。Ihadaninterviewwithhim，andheshowedacertainwantoftemperthatsentmetobedstillirritated。ThatnightIhadnodream。NordidIdreamthenextnight，atleast，toremember。
　　“Somethingofthatintenserealityofconvictionvanished。IbegantofeelsureitWASadream。Andthenitcameagain。