my part, Nettie--I will join myself in that."
I threw all the conviction I could into these words. . . . "No
conflict of passion." I added a little lamely, "must distract me."

There was a pause.

"Then we must part," said Nettie, with the eyes of a woman one
strikes in the face.

I nodded assent. . . .

There was a little pause, and then I stood up. We stood up, all
three. We parted almost sullenly, with no more memorable words,
and I was left presently in the arbor alone.

I do not think I watched them go. I only remember myself left there
somehow--horribly empty and alone. I sat down again and fell into
a deep shapeless musing.

Section 5

Suddenly I looked up. Nettie had come back and stood looking down
at me.

"Since we talked I have been thinking," she said. "Edward has let
me come to you alone. And I feel perhaps I can talk better to you
alone."

I said nothing and that embarrassed her.

"I don't think we ought to part," she said.

"No--I don't think we ought to part," she repeated.

"One lives," she said, "in different ways. I wonder if you will
understand what I am saying, Willie. It is hard to say what I feel.
But I want it said. If we are to part for ever I want it said--very
plainly. Always before I have had the woman's instinct and the
woman's training which makes one hide. But------ Edward is not all
of me. Think of what I am saying--Edward is not all of me. . . . I
wish I could tell you better how I see it. I am not all of myself.
You, at any rate, are a part of me and I cannot bear to leave you.
And I cannot see why I should leave you. There is a sort of blood
link between us, Willie. We grew together. We are in one another's
bones. I understand you. Now indeed I understand. In some way
I have come to an understanding at a stride. Indeed I understand
you and your dream. I want to help you. Edward--Edward has no dreams.
. . . It is dreadful to me, Willie, to think we two are to part."

"But we have settled that--part we must."

"But WHY?"

"I love you."

"Well, and why should I hide it Willie?--I love you. . . ." Our
eyes met. She flushed, she went on resolutely: "You are stupid.
The whole thing is stupid. I love you both."

I said, "You do not understand what you say. No!"

"You mean that I must go."

"Yes, yes. Go!"

For a moment we looked at one another, mute, as though deep down
in the unfathomable darkness below the surface and present reality
of things dumb meaning