be
because my intelligence coolly courted destruction, and accepted
every chance, every hazard."

So spoke Athalie, smiling, in the full confidence and pride of her
superb youth, certain of the mind's autocracy over matter, lightly
defying within herself the latent tempest, of which she as yet divined
no more than the first exquisitely disturbing breeze;--deriding, too,
the as yet unloosened bolts of the old gods themselves,--the white
lightning of desire.

"Come," she said, half mockingly, half seriously, passing her arm
through Clive's;--"we are quite safe together in this safe and sane
old world--unless _I_ choose--otherwise."

She turned and touched her lips lightly to his hair:

"So you may safely behave as irrationally, irresponsibly, and
romantically as you choose.... As long as I now am wide awake."

And then, for the first time, he realised his utter responsibility to
this girl who so gaily and audaciously relieved him of it. And he
understood how pitifully unarmed she really stood, and how imminent
the necessity for him to forge for himself the armour of character,
and to wear it eternally for his own safety as well as hers.

"Good night, dear," he said.

In her new and magnificent self-confidence she turned and put both
arms around his neck, drawing his lips against hers.

But after he had gone she leaned against the closed door, less
confident, her heart beating too fast and hard to entirely justify
this new enfranchisement of the body, or her overwhelming faith in
its wise and trusted guardian, the mind.

And he went soberly on his way through the rain to his hotel, troubled
but determined upon his new role as his own soul's armourer. All that
was in him of romance and of chivalry was responding passionately to
the girl's unconscious revelation of her new need.

For now he realised that her boasted armour was of gauze; he could see
her naked heart beating behind it; he beheld, through the shield she
lifted on high to protect them both, the moon shining with its false,
reflected light.

Never did Athalie stand in such dire need of the armour she supposed
that she was wearing.

And he must put on his own, rapidly, and rivet it fast--the inflexible
mail of character which alone can shield such souls as his--and hers.

* * * * *

When he came into his own room, a thick letter from his wife lay on
the table. Before he broke the seal he laid aside his wet garments