As he went on speaking the light in Hermione's face flickered and died

out. It was when he laughed that it vanished quite away.

"Thank you, Maurice," she said, quietly. "Thank you, dear. I should love

to have you with me, but it would be a shame!"

"Why?"

"Why? Why--the best time here is only just beginning, as you say. It

would be selfish to drag you across the sea to a sick-bed, or perhaps to

a death-bed."

"But the journey?"

"Oh, I am accustomed to being a lonely woman. Think how short a time

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we've been married! I've nearly always travelled alone."

"Yes, I know," he said. "Of course there's no danger. I didn't mean that,

only--"

"Only you were ready to be unselfish," she said. "Bless you for it. But

this time I want to be unselfish. You must stay here to keep house, and

I'll come back the first moment I can--the very first. Let's try to think

of that--of the day when I come up the mountain again to my--to our

garden of paradise. All the time I'm away I shall pray for the moment

when I see these columns of the terrace above me, and the geraniums,

and--and the white wall of our little--home."

She stopped. Then she added: "And you."

"Yes," he said. "But you won't see me on the terrace."

"Why not?"

"Because, of course, I shall come to the station to meet you. That day

will be a festa."

She said nothing more. Her heart was very full, and of conflicting

feelings and of voices that spoke in contradiction one of another. One or

two of these voices she longed to hush to silence, but they were

persistent. Then she tried not to listen to what they were saying. But

they were pitilessly distinct.

Dinner was soon over, and Gaspare came to clear away. His face was very

grave, even troubled. He did not like this abrupt departure of his

padrona.

"You will come back, signora?" he said, as he drew away the cloth and

prepared to fold up the table and carry it in-doors.

Hermione managed to laugh.

"Why, of course, Gaspare! Did you think I was going away forever?"

"Africa is a long way off."

"Only nine hours from Trapani. I may be back very soon. Will you forget

me?"

"Did I forget my padrona when she was in England?" the boy replied, his

expressive face suddenly hardening and his great eyes glittering with

sullen fires.




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