Part 24 (1/2)
”Yes, and then she whispers, 'There are better dreams!'”
The girl regarded him in frank perplexity.
”She hints of these vague better dreams, she whispers of a way----”
”_What_ way?”
”I do not know what way. But it is something--something that tears at the very fabric of this daily life.”
”You mean----?”
”She is a mermaid, she is a thing of dreams and desires, a siren, a whisper and a seduction. She will lure him with her----”
He stopped.
”Where?” she whispered.
”Into the deeps.”
”The deeps?”
They hung upon a long pause. Melville sought vagueness with infinite solicitude, and could not find it. He blurted out at last: ”There can be but one way out of this dream we are all dreaming, you know.”
”And that way?”
”That way--” began Melville and dared not say it.
”You mean,” she said, with a pale face, half awakened to a new thought, ”the way is----?”
Melville s.h.i.+rked the word. He met her eyes and nodded weakly.
”But how--?” she asked.
”At any rate”--he said hastily, seeking some palliative phrase--”at any rate, if she gets him, this little world of yours-- There will be no coming back for him, you know.”
”No coming back?” she said.
”No coming back,” said Melville.
”But are you sure?” she doubted.
”Sure?”
”That it is so?”
”That desire is desire, and the deep the deep--yes.”
”I never thought--” she began and stopped.
”Mr. Melville,” she said, ”you know I don't understand. I thought--I scarcely know what I thought. I thought he was trivial and foolish to let his thoughts go wandering. I agreed--I see your point--as to the difference in our effect upon him. But this--this suggestion that for him she may be something determining and final-- After all, she----”