Part 54 (1/2)

You have every right to leave me--us, Alethea.

' ”None of those things matter,” said Alethea, hurrying a little so

that she could say what she had to say and go.

”T'd never have left you for any one of them; they'd have all come right in the end.

' ”But this--whatever it is--won't?

' She had taken her gloves off and was twisting them ruthlessly into a

shapeless suede ruin.

”No.

' It was astonis.h.i.+ng how difficult it was to get the words out.

They came in a rush finally.

”It's so silly of me; I've fallen in love with you, Sarre.

You'll find that hard to believe after Nick.

but of course I've never been in love before, only thought I had--it's

quite different.

' Sarre spoke very quietly.

”Yes, it is, isn't it?

I have thought myself in love a dozen times, and that includes my first

wife, but when I fell in love with you, I knew that none of them counted--only you, my darling.

' Alethea dropped her gloves and stared at him with her mouth open.

”You're in love with me?

You never said so.

' ”T was afraid to.

You see, I wasn't sure about young Penrose.

Once or twice I very nearly told you that I loved you and each time

something prevented me.

I knew I'd have no peace until you had been back and seen him.

' He left the desk and caught her close so that her very ribs ached.

”Do you remember when I hauled you out of that cellar?

There was a candle.

' She interrupted him in a little rush of words.

”You said ”by sun and candlelight” , but I didn't understand.

it's Elizabeth Barrett Browning, isn't it?

”I love thee to the level of every day's most quiet need, by sun and

candlelight. ..”