very cause it was meant to subserve.
A woman like this was not to be forsaken in a hurry. He wrote two lines,
and left the note at the house with his own hand.

'THE CABIN, RINGS-HILL,
_July_ 7_th_.

'DEAREST VIVIETTE,--If you insist, I will go. But letter-writing will
not do. I must have the command from your own two lips, otherwise I
shall not stir. I am here every evening at seven. Can you come?--S.'

This note, as fate would have it, reached her hands in the single hour of
that week when she was in a mood to comply with his request, just when
moved by a reactionary emotion after dismissing Swithin. She went
upstairs to the window that had so long served purposes of this kind, and
signalled 'Yes.'

St. Cleeve soon saw the answer she had given and watched her approach
from the tower as the sunset drew on. The vivid circumstances of his
life at this date led him ever to remember the external scenes in which
they were set. It was an evening of exceptional irradiations, and the
west heaven gleamed like a foundry of all metals common and rare. The
clouds were broken into a thousand fragments, and the margin of every
fragment shone. Foreseeing the disadvantage and pain to her of
maintaining a resolve under the pressure of a meeting, he vowed not to
urge her by word or sign; to put the question plainly and calmly, and to
discuss it on a reasonable basis only, like the philosophers they assumed
themselves to be.

But this intention was scarcely adhered to in all its integrity. She
duly appeared on the edge of the field, flooded with the metallic
radiance that marked the close of this day; whereupon he quickly
descended the steps, and met her at the cabin door. They entered it
together.

As the evening grew darker and darker he listened to her reasoning, which
was precisely a repetition of that already sent him by letter, and by
degrees accepted her decision, since she would not revoke it. Time came
for them to say good-bye, and then--

'He turn'd and saw the terror in her eyes,
That yearn'd upon him, shining in such wise
As a star midway in the midnight fix'd.'

It was the misery of her own condition that showed forth, hitherto
obscured by her ardour for ameliorating his. They closed together, and
kissed each other as though the emotion of their whole year-and-half's
acquaintance had settled down upon that moment.

'I won't go away from you!' said Swithin huskily. 'Why did y