Part 16 (2/2)
”You meant it?”
”It was the only way. That's why I didn't want you to come back.”
He sat silent, taking that in.
”Don't you see now how it works? You have to be pure crystal. That's why I didn't want you to come back.”
Obscurely, through the veil of flesh, he saw.
”And I am never to come back?” he said.
”You will not need to come.”
”You mean you won't want me?”
”No. I shall not want you. Because, when I did want you it broke down.”
He smiled.
”I see. When you want me, it breaks down.”
He rallied for a moment. He made his one last pitiful stand against the supernatural thing that was conquering him.
He had risen to go.
”And when _I_ want to come, when I long for you, what then?”
”_Your_ longing will make no difference.”
She smiled also, as if she foresaw how it would work, and that soon, very soon, he would cease to long for her.
His hand was on the door. He smiled back at her.
”I don't want to shake your faith in it,” he said.
”You can't shake my faith in It.”
”Still--it breaks down. It breaks down,” he cried.
”Never. You don't understand,” she said. ”It was the flaw in the crystal.”
Soon, very soon he would know it. Already he had shown submission.
She had no doubt of the working of the Power. Bella remained as a sign that it had once been, and that, given the flawless crystal, it should be again.
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