. I believe it's been a real pleasure, though, to see you
again. I needed just this to convince myself it was really all over!"

"But are you going like this!... Is this the way you let a passion end
that still fills my life!... When shall we see each other again?"

"I don't know: never ... perhaps when you least expect it. The world is
large, but when a person gads about it the way I do, you never can tell
whom you are going to meet."

Rafael pointed to the Opera nearby.

"And if you should come to sing ... here?... If I were actually to see
you again?...."

Leonora smiled haughtily, guessing what he meant.

"In that case, you will be one of my countless friends, I suppose, but
nothing more. Don't imagine that I'm a saint even now. I'm just as I was
before you knew me. The property of everybody--understand--and of
nobody! But of the janitor of the opera, if necessary, sooner than of
you. You are a corpse, in my eyes, Rafael.... Farewell!"

He saw her vanish through the doorway; and he stood for a long time
there on the sidewalk, completely crushed, staring vacantly into the
last glow of twilight that was growing pale beyond the gables of the
Royal Palace.

Some birds were twittering on the trees of the garden, shaking the
leaves with their mischievous playfulness, as if the fires of Springtime
were coursing in their veins. For Spring had come again, faithful and
punctual, as every year.

He staggered off toward the center of the city, slowly, dejectedly, with
the thought of death in his mind, bidding farewell to all his dreams,
which that woman seemed to have destroyed forever in turning her back
implacably upon him. Yes! A corpse, indeed! He was a dead man dragging a
soulless body along under the sad glimmering of the first street-lamps.
Farewell! Farewell to Love! Farewell to Youth! For him Springtime would
never return again. Joyous Folly repelled him as an unworthy deserter.
His future was to grow a fatter and fatter paunch under the frock coat
of a "personage"!

At the corner of the Calle del Arenal he heard his name called. It was
a deputy, a comrade of "the Party" who had just come from the session.

"Let me congratulate you, Brull; you were simply monumental! The Chief
spoke enthusiastically of your speech to the Prime Minister! It's a
foregone conclusion. At the first new deal you'll be made
director-general or undersecretary at least! Again, my congratulations,
old fellow!"

THE END