“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。