e to such a natural
statement, I have not the faintest hope of deceiving you. What I felt
for you once can never be revived, for I loved you more than I have
ever loved any woman; and when such love burns itself out, its ashes
are no more to be rekindled than the dust of the corpse. You thought I
fell in love with my pretty young wife, but I was merely fond and
appreciative of her. I knew that the end had come for us, and that if
I did not recognize that sad fact, you would. My marriage, which, as
you know, was imperative, afforded a graceful climax to a unique
episode in the lives of both of us. There was no demoralizing interval
of subterfuge and politely repressed ennui. On the other hand, it did
not degenerate into one of those dreary and loosely knit _liaisons_,
lasting on into old age. We left each other on the heights, although
the cliff was beginning to crumble."

"Really, Moritz! I hope you have not come up here to indulge in
sentimental reminiscence. Why rake up that old--episode? I assure you
I have practically forgotten it."

"And I can assure you that I never felt less sentimental. I wish
merely to emphasize the fact that it was complete in itself, and
therefore as impossible of resuscitation as the dead. Otherwise, you
might naturally leap to the conclusion that I was an elderly romantic
gentleman----"

"Oh, never! It is obvious that you are inclined to be brutally frank.
But, as you said, time is short."

"If what I said sounded brutal, it was merely to remind you that
love--the intense passionate love I have no doubt you feel for this
young man who helps you to realize your renewed youth--never lasts.
And when this new love of yours burns itself out--you never had the
reputation of being very constant, dear Marie--you will have an alien
young man on your hands, while that remarkable brain of yours will be
demanding its field of action. You are European, not American--why,
even your accent is stronger than mine! That may be due to an
uncommonly susceptible ear, but as a matter of fact your mind has a
stronger accent still. You became thoroughly Europeanized, one of us,
and--I say this quite impartially--the most statesman-like woman in
Europe. Your mind was still plastic when you came to us--and your
plastic years are long over, _ma chere_. If your mind had become as
young as your body, you would have bitterly resented it. You were
always very proud of that intellect of yours--and