"It would kill me, Jack. I could not live."

Malham rose hastily, and strode across the room. His endurance was at
an end. Of what use to prolong the agony? His mind was made up, it was
useless to go on torturing Celia and himself.

"It is too late, the thing is done. There is no drawing back. We are
engaged."

"Will you walk about all night, Jack, in case you fall asleep and find
it is a dream? Will you write a letter in pencil and slip it into her
letterbox so that she may have it at breakfast?"

"Celia, don't! For God's sake, don't... I can't stand this!"

"Will you quarrel with her, Jack, and kiss, and make it up? Will she
stroke your head when you are tired, to take away the pain, and will you
lie and look up in her face, and make up little verses about her eyes?
I've got all your verses, Jack, dozens of them, locked away in my desk."

"You know I won't. That sort of thing is over for ever. It is the
price I shall have to pay. One can't have the one big thing, and
everything else into the bargain. I have made my choice, and the rest
must go."

"But we must make quite sure what _is_ the big thing. _I_ am your big
thing, Jack. You are tired and discouraged, and when people are
discouraged things look out of proportion. To-day you put success
first, and Celia second, but you will find out your mistake. You can't
live without me, Jack, any more than I can live without you. It's gone
deeper than you think."

Malham's hand was on the door, but he turned at that last word and
looked at her across the room. She sat as he had so often seen her,
leaning forward from the waist, her chin cupped in her hand, her grey
eyes bent on him with an intensity of love. Among the drab furnishings
of the room, the glowing mass of her hair shone with a burnished
splendour. The sight of her represented all that was gracious and
beautiful--his thought leaped to that other woman from whom he had
parted but an hour before, he saw the two faces side by side, and for a
moment he wavered. Only a moment, then he hardened himself, and turned
once more.

"It is too late. I have made my choice. Goodbye, Celia."

"_Au revoir_, Jack. _My_ Jack! You will come back to me!"

Her voice rang strong and valiant. In just that voice she had put
courage into him time and again when he had come nigh to despair. In
just that voice had she breathed her undying confidence in the future.
But this time when he was lost to s