de him to scale. He
said to himself: "Yes, I was a fool--but she has trusted me!" Trusted! A
terrible word to any man somewhat exceptional in a world in which success
has never been found in renunciation and good faith. And it must also be
said, in order not to make Anthony more stupidly sublime than he was,
that the behaviour of Flora kept him at a distance. The girl was afraid
to add to the exasperation of her father. It was her unhappy lot to be
made more wretched by the only affection which she could not suspect. She
could not be angry with it, however, and out of deference for that
exaggerated sentiment she hardly dared to look otherwise than by stealth
at the man whose masterful compassion had carried her off. And quite
unable to understand the extent of Anthony's delicacy, she said to
herself that "he didn't care." He probably was beginning at bottom to
detest her--like the governess, like the maiden lady, like the German
woman, like Mrs. Fyne, like Mr. Fyne--only he was extraordinary, he was
generous. At the same time she had moments of irritation. He was
violent, headstrong--perhaps stupid. Well, he had had his way.

A man who has had his way is seldom happy, for generally he finds that
the way does not lead very far on this earth of desires which can never
be fully satisfied. Anthony had entered with extreme precipitation the
enchanted gardens of Armida saying to himself "At last!" As to Armida,
herself, he was not going to offer her any violence. But now he had
discovered that all the enchantment was in Armida herself, in Armida's
smiles. This Armida did not smile. She existed, unapproachable, behind
the blank wall of his renunciation. His force, fit for action,
experienced the impatience, the indignation, almost the despair of his
vitality arrested, bound, stilled, progressively worn down, frittered
away by Time; by that force blind and insensible, which seems inert and
yet uses one's life up by its imperceptible action, dropping minute after
minute on one's living heart like drops of water wearing down a stone.

He upbraided himself. What else could he have expected? He had rushed
in like a ruffian; he had dragged the poor defenceless thing by the hair
of her head, as it were, on board that ship. It was really atrocious.
Nothing assured him that his person could be attractive to this or any
other woman. And his proceedings were enough in themselves to make
anyone odious. He must have