very intricate,
very difficult business. The only complications which are removed are
the complications of the body; but one has anxious and trying
responsibilities all the same, and you have trifled with them. You must
not delude yourself. You have many good qualities. You have some
courage, much ingenuity, keen interests, and a good deal of
conscientiousness; but you have the makings of a dilettante, the
readiness to delude yourself that the particular little work you are
engaged in is excessively and peculiarly important. You have got the
proportion all wrong."

I had a feeling of intense anger and bitterness at all this; but as he
spoke, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, and I saw that Amroth was
right. I wrestled with myself in silence.

Presently I said, "Amroth, I believe you are right, though I think at
this moment that you have stated all this rather harshly. But I do see
that it can be no pleasure to you to state it, though I fear I shall
never regain my pleasure in your company."

"There," said Amroth, "that is sentiment again!"

This put me into a great passion.

"Very well," I said, "I will say no more. Perhaps you will just be good
enough to tell me what I am to do with Cynthia, and where I am to go,
and then I will trouble you no longer."

"Oh," said Amroth with a sneer, "I have no doubt you can find some very
nice semidetached villas hereabouts. Why not settle down, and make the
poor girl a little mote worthy of yourself?"

At this I turned from him in great anger, and left him standing where he
was. If ever I hated any one, I hated Amroth at that moment. I went back
to Cynthia.

"I have come back to you, dear," I said. "Can you trust me and go with
me? No one here seems inclined to help us, and we must just help each
other."

At which Cynthia rose and flung herself into my arms.

"That was what I wanted all along," she said, "to feel that I could be
of use too. You will see how brave I can be. I can go anywhere with you
and do anything, because I think I have loved you all the time."

"And you must forgive me, Cynthia," I said, "as well. For I did not know
till this moment that I loved you, but I know it now; and I shall love
you to the end."

As I said these words I turned, and saw Amroth smiling from afar; then
with a wave of the hand to us, he turned and passed out of our sight.

XXVIII

Left to ourselves, Cynthia and I sat awhile in silence, hand in hand,
like childr