of the season and the hour。 〃And yet；〃 she said at last； 〃there are horrors we've mentioned。〃
It deepened the strangeness to see her； as such a figure in such a picture； talk of 〃horrors；〃 but she was to do in a few minutes something stranger yetthough even of this he was to take the full measure but afterwardsand the note of it already trembled。 It was； for the matter of that； one of the signs that her eyes were having again the high flicker of their prime。 He had to admit； however； what she said。 〃Oh yes； there were times when we did go far。〃 He caught himself in the act of speaking as if it all were over。 Well； he wished it were； and the consummation depended for him clearly more and more on his friend。
But she had now a soft smile。 〃Oh far！〃
It was oddly ironic。 〃Do you mean you're prepared to go further？〃
She was frail and ancient and charming as she continued to look at him； yet it was rather as if she had lost the thread。 〃Do you consider that we went far？〃
〃Why I thought it the point you were just makingthat we HAD looked most things in the face。〃
〃Including each other？〃 She still smiled。 〃But you're quite right。 We've had together great imaginations； often great fears； but some of them have been unspoken。〃
〃Then the worstwe haven't faced that。 I COULD face it； I believe； if I knew what you think it。 I feel；〃 he explained； 〃as if I had lost my power to conceive such things。〃 And he wondered if he looked as blank as he sounded。 〃It's spent。〃
〃Then why do you assume；〃 she asked； 〃that mine isn't？〃
〃Because you've given me signs to the contrary。 It isn't a question for you of conceiving； imagining； comparing。 It isn't a question now of choosing。〃 At last he came out with it。 〃You know something I don't。 You've shown me that before。〃
These last words had affected her； he made out in a moment； exceedingly； and she spoke with firmness。 〃I've shown you； my dear； nothing。〃
He shook his head。 〃You can't hide it。〃
〃Oh； oh！〃 May Bartram sounded over what she couldn't hide。 It was almost a smothered groan。
〃You admitted it months ago； when I spoke of it to you as of something you were afraid I should find out。 Your answer was that I couldn't； that I wouldn't； and I don't pretend I have。 But you had something therefore in mind； and I see now how it must have been； how it still is； the possibility that； of all possibilities； has settled itself for you as the worst。 This；〃 he went on； 〃is why I appeal to you。 I'm only afraid of ignorance to…dayI'm not afraid of knowledge。〃 And then as for a while she said nothing： 〃What makes me sure is that I see in your face and feel here； in this air and amid these appearances； that you're out of it。 You've done。 You've had your experience。 You leave me to my fate。〃
Well； she listened； motionless and white in her chair； as on a decision to be made； so that her manner was fairly an avowal； though still； with a small fine inner stiffness； an imperfect surrender。 〃It WOULD be the worst；〃 she finally let herself say。 〃I mean the thing I've never said。〃
It hushed him a moment。 〃More monstrous than all the monstrosities we've named？〃
〃More monstrous。 Isn't that what you sufficiently express；〃 she asked； 〃in calling it the worst？〃
Marcher thought。 〃Assuredlyif you mean； as I do； something that includes all the loss and all the shame that are thinkable。〃
〃It would if it SHOULD happen；〃 said May Bartram。 〃What we're speaking of； remember； is only my idea。〃
〃It's your belief；〃 Marcher returned。 〃That's enough for me。 I feel your beliefs are right。 Therefore if； having this one； you give me no more light on it； you abandon me。〃
〃No； no！〃 she repeated。 〃I'm with youdon't you see？still。〃 And as to make it more vivid to him she rose from her chaira movement she seldom risked in these daysand showed herself； all draped and all soft； in her fairness and slimness。 〃I haven't forsaken you。〃
It was really； in its effort against weakness； a generous assurance； and had the success of the impulse not； happily； been great； it would have touched him to pain more than to pleasure。 But the cold charm in her eyes had spread； as she hovered before him； to all the rest of her person； so that it was for the minute almost a recovery of youth。 He couldn't pity her for that； he could only take her as she showedas capable even yet of helping him。 It was as if； at the same time； her light might at any instant go out； wherefore he must make the most of it。 There passed before him with intensity the three or four things he wanted most to know； but the question that came of itself to his lips really covered the others。 〃Then tell me if I shall consciously suffer。〃
She promptly shook her head。 〃Never！〃
It confirmed the authority he imputed to her； and it produced on him an extraordinary effect。 〃Well； what's better than that？ Do you call that the worst？〃
〃You think nothing is better？〃 she asked。
She seemed to mean something so special that he again sharply wondered； though still with the dawn of a prospect of relief。 〃Why not； if one doesn't KNOW？〃 After which； as their eyes； over his question； met in a silence； the dawn deepened； and something to his purpose came prodigiously out of her very face。 His own； as he took it in； suddenly flushed to the forehead； and he gasped with the force of a perception to which； on the instant； everything fitted。 The sound of his gasp filled the air； then he became articulate。 〃I seeif I don't suffer！〃
In her own look； however； was doubt。 〃You see what？〃
〃Why what you meanwhat you've always meant。〃
She again shook her head。 〃What I mean isn't what I've always meant。 It's different。〃
〃It's something new？〃
She hung back from it a little。 〃Something new。 It's not what you think。 I see what you think。〃
His divination drew breath then； only her correction might be wrong。 〃It isn't that I AM a blockhead？〃 he asked between faintness and grimness。 〃It isn't that it's all a mistake？〃
〃A mistake？〃 she pityingly echoed。 THAT possibility； for her； he saw； would be monstrous； and if she guaranteed him the immunity from pain it would accordingly not be what she had in mind。 〃Oh no；〃 she declared； 〃it's nothing of that sort。 You've been right。〃
Yet he couldn't help asking himself if she weren't； thus pressed； speaking but to save him。 It seemed to him he should be most in a hole if his history should prove all a platitude。 〃Are you telling me the truth； so that I shan't have been a bigger idiot than I can bear to know？ I HAVEN'T lived with a vain imagination； in the most besotted illusion？ I haven't waited but to see the door shut in my face？〃
She shook her head again。 〃However the case stands THAT isn't the truth。 Whatever the reality； it IS a reality。 The door isn't shut。 The door's open；〃 said May Bartram。
〃Then something's to come？〃
She waited once again； always with her cold sweet eyes on him。 〃It's never too late。〃 She had； with her gliding step； diminished the distance between them； and she stood nearer to him； close to him； a minute； as if still charged with the unspoken。 Her movement might have been for some finer emphasis of what she was at once hesitating and deciding to say。 He had been standing by the chimney…piece； fireless and sparely adorned； a small perfect old French clock and two morsels of rosy Dresden constituting all its furniture； and her hand grasped the shelf while she kept him waiting； grasped it a little as for support and encouragement。 She only kept him waiting； however； that is he only waited。 It had become suddenly； from her movement and attitude； beautiful and vivid to him that she had something more to give him； her wasted face delicately shone with itit glittered almost as with the white lustre of silver in her expression。 She was right； incontestably； for what he saw in her face was the truth； and strangely； without consequence； while their talk of it as dreadful was still in the air； she appeared to present it as inordinately soft。 This； prompting bewilderment； made him but gape the more gratefully for her revelation； so that they continued for some minutes silent； her face shining at him； her contact imponderably pressing； and his stare all kind but all expectant。 The end； none the less； was that what he had expected failed to come to him。 Something else took place instead； which seemed to consist at first in the mere closing of her eyes。 She gave way at the same instant to a slow fine shudder； and though he remained staringthough he stared in fact but the harderturned off and regained her chair。 It was the end of what she had been intending； but it left him thinking only of that。
〃Well； you don't say？〃
She had touched in her passage a bell near the chimney and had sunk back strangely pale。 〃I'm afraid I'm too ill。〃
〃Too ill to tell me？〃 it sprang up sharp to him； and almost to his lips； the fear she might die without giving him light。 He checked himself in time from so expressing his question； but she answered as if she had heard the words。
〃Don't you knownow？〃
〃'Now' …？〃 She had spoken as if some difference had been made within the moment。 But her maid； quickly obedient to her bell； was already with them。 〃I know nothing。〃 And he was afterwards to say to himself that he must have spoken with odious impatience； such an impatience as to show that； supremely disconcerted； he washed his hands of the whole question。
〃Oh！〃 said May Bartram。
〃Are you in pain？〃 he asked as the woman went to her。
〃No；〃 said May Bartram。
Her maid； who had put an arm round her as if to take her to her room； fixed on him eyes that appealingly contradicted her； in spite of which； however； he showed once more his mystification。
〃What then has happened？〃
She was once more； with her companion's help； on her feet； and； feeling withdrawal imposed on him； he had blankly found his hat and gloves and had reached the door。 Yet he waited for her answer。 〃What WAS to；〃 she said。
CHAPTER V
He came back the next day； but she was then unable to see him； and as it was literally the first time this had occurred in the long stretch of their acquaintance he turned away； defeated and sore； almost angr