ung about
with pearls and diamonds. She is courted by a knight in golden armour.
She is married amidst the acclamations of a loyal populace. She is the
mother of a king-to-be. She is radiantly happy.

And in her self-created world of make-believe she is far wiser than
these grown-ups who insist with obstinate complacency on "seeing things
as they are." They take pride in being disillusioned.

Not realising that happiness is bowered in illusion.

* * * * *

"Let us live in dreamland awhile," Elaine had said with the wisdom of a
little child.

It was tacitly agreed to by Riviere. When together, they combined to
ignore the tangle of ugly circumstance and the harsh struggle to come.
For the time being they were in fancy two lovers with no barrier between
and the world smiling joyously upon them.

After a full day's work in his laboratory, he would come to her side and
answer her questions with the tenderness of a lover.

"You've brought me white lilac again," she said one day as he entered.
"How did you first guess that white lilac is my favourite flower?"

"White lilac is yourself," he answered.

"Why?"

"Every woman suggests a flower. One sees many roses--little bud roses,
and big, buxom, full-blown roses, and wild, free-blowing roses. One sees
many white camellias, and heavy-scented tuberoses, and opulent Parma
violets, and gorgeous tiger-lilies--those have been the women of my
world. One sees many marigolds and cornflowers and poppies. But I've
seen only one white lilac--you. White lilac is the fresh young Spring.
And yet it is a woman grown. White lilac is sweet and tender and
gracious. White lilac is so faint in perfume that any other scented
flower would smother it, and yet its fragrance lives in my memory beyond
any other. White lilac is yourself."

"How many-sided you are! Financier, and scientist, and now ... and now
poet."

"No--lover."

"Then love must be living poetry."

"That many-sidedness is my weakness."

"I don't want it otherwise."

"The success race has to be run in blinkers. One must see only the goal
ahead. There must be no looking to right or left."

"If success means that, then success is bought too dearly.... Dear John,
I don't want you otherwise than you are. I love you for your weakness
and not your strength. That's the mother-love in a woman."

"I can do so little for you."

"So little? You've made this sick-room an enchanted castle for me!