�Good-by,� he said, kissing it.
�Good-by? You are going—?�
�To get my letter.�
�Your letter? The letter won�t matter, if you will only do what I ask.�
He returned her gaze. �I might, I suppose, without being out of character. Only, don�t you see that if your plan helped me it could only harm her?�
�Harm her?�
�To sacrifice you wouldn�t make me different. I shall go on being what I have always been—sifting and sorting, as she calls it. Do you want my punishment to fall on her?�
She looked at him long and deeply. �Ah, if I had to choose between you—!�
�You would let her take her chance? But I can�t, you see. I must take my punishment alone.�
She drew her hand away, sighing. �Oh, there will be no punishment for either of you.�