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was determined to reward him at last for his long devotion.

"You've been a wonderful friend to me, Charles," she said in her low, rather husky voice. She turned a little so that her face was very near his, her lips, again like Lady Hamilton's, slightly open. "I'm afraid I haven't always been very kind to you."

She looked so deliciously yielding, a ripe peach waiting to be picked, that it seemed inevitable that he should kiss her. Then she would twine her soft white arms round his neck. But he only smiled.

"You mustn't say that. You've been always divine."

("He's afraid, poor lamb.") "I don't think anyone has ever been so much in love with me as you were."

He gave her a little squeeze.

"I am still. You know that. There's never been any woman but you in my life."

Since, however, he did not take the proffered lips she slightly turned. She looked reflectively at the electric fire. Pity it was unlit. The scene wanted a fire.

"How different everything would have been if we'd bolted that time. Heigh-ho."

She never quite knew what heigh-ho meant, but they used it a lot on the stage, and said with a sigh it always sounded very sad.

"England would have lost its greatest actress. I know now how dreadfully selfish it was of me ever to propose it."

"Success isn't everything. I sometimes wonder whether to gratify my silly little ambition I didn't miss the greatest thing in the world. After all, love is the only thing that matters." And now she looked at him again with eyes more beautiful than ever in their melting tenderness. "D'you know, I think that now, if I had my time over again, I'd say take me."

She slid her hand down to take his. He gave it a graceful pressure.

"Oh, my dear."

"I've so often thought of that dream villa of ours. Olive trees and oleanders and the blue sea. Peace. Sometimes I'm appalled by the dullness and vulgarity of my life. What you offered was beauty. It's too late now, I know; I didn't know then how much I cared for you, I never dreamt that as the years went on you would mean more and more to me."

"It's heavenly to hear you say that, my sweet. It makes up for so much."

"I'd do anything in the world for you, Charles. I've been selfish. I've ruined your life, I didn't know what I was doing."

Her voice was low and tremulous and she threw back her head so that her neck was like a white column. Her decollete showed part of her small firm breasts and with her hands she pressed them forward a little.

"You mustn't say that, you mustn't think that," he answered gently. "You've been perfect always. I wouldn't have had you otherwise. Oh my dear, life is so short and love is so transitory. The tragedy of life is that sometimes we get what we want. Now that I look back on our long past together I know that you were wiser than I. 'What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape?' Don't you remember how it goes? 'Never, never canst thou kiss, though winning near the goal - yet, do not grieve; she cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss. For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!' "

("Idiotic") "Such lovely lines," she sighed. "Perhaps you're right. Heigh-ho."

He went on quoting. That was a trick of his that Julia had always found somewhat tiresome.

"Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed

Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;

And, happy melodist, unwearied,

For ever piping songs for ever new!?

It gave Julia an opportunity to think. She stared in the unlit fire, her gaze intent, as though she were entranced by the exquisite beauty of those words. It was quite obvious that he just hadn't understood. It could hardly be wondered at. She had been deaf to his passionate entreaties for twenty years, and it was very natural if he had given up his quest as hopeless. It was like Mount Everest; if those hardy mountaineers who had tried for so long in vain to reach the summit finally found an easy flight of steps that led to it, they simply would not believe their eyes: they would think there was a catch in it. Julia felt that she must make herself a little plainer; she must, as it were, reach out a helping hand to the weary pilgrim.

"It's getting dreadfully late," she said softly. "Show me