. no...."

She turned away, sank down again, her face in her hands. For a second or
two he stood watching her. Then he went and flung himself on his knees
before her as he had done that wild, windy night, three years ago. He
grasped either side of her chair as he had done then, prisoning yet not
touching her with his arms.

"Beautiful...." he whispered. "Beautiful...."

She cowered back as though he had struck her, her face still hidden.

"Don't you remember...." the husky voice went on. "That night ... the
wind ... the wild moon!... Oh, Selene! Selene!... I've blasphemed ...
but I still worship.... I still worship...."

She began to sob, desperately, helplessly, like a child.

"Forgive me ... take me back, Selene.... Only try me once more.... This
one time.... You'll see.... You'll see you can trust me ... give me your
love again ... this once ... this once...."

She struggled to speak. The big sobs choked her. At last, between them,
the words came. "It's ... all ... emptiness," she said, "here...." She
put one hand to her breast. "There's nothing...." The sobs broke in
again. ".... To give...." she ended.

He knelt staring at the slight hand that still hid her face from him.
Suddenly he noticed, as Amaldi had done, that her wedding ring was not
on it. He dropped his head upon her knees. That broke his manhood to see
that she had put aside even the symbol of their union. He felt her hand
upon his hair. He wept and wept, wishing, as he had wished about
Belinda--that he had never been born.

And over Sophy came the old feeling of nightmare--the sensation of
having lived twice over her fatal marriage with Chesney. Just so Cecil
had once clung weeping to her knees. But then she still had some
hope--some love to give. Now she was beggared of all but pity. And even
this pity was not strong enough to make her return once more to the
unspeakable sacrifice of loveless marriage.

A sudden rattling at the door sent him to his feet, apprehensive,
shamefaced. Then an impatient whine told him that it was only the collie
asking to be let in again. He crossed over and opened the door with a
vexed jerk. The dog always irritated him. Now he would have liked to
kick it. The collie rushed over to Sophy, and pressed against her
anxiously, as if he knew something were wrong with her. He whined
again, nuzzling his head against her breast. Loring pulled out his
watch.

"I suppose I'd better get ready for dinner," he said.

"Yes