“Yes. The place to which you are sending me.”
“What place?” Her tone was puzzled.
“Hell!” he said shortly.
She wrinkled her brows.
“I don’t understand.”
“Of course, you haven’t read Virgil,” he said, with the crushing superiority of the newly fledged graduate. “It’s in the sixth book—where he takes Ænas into Hades. He describes two gates there—a gate of horn and a gate of ivory. They are the gates through which all dreams come. Those that pass through the ivory gate are false dreams—the true ones come out of the gate of horn. I will sit down beside it, and report if any of them concern you. You haven’t left me much other interest,” he concluded, bitterly, “and this life will be just Hell.”
She looked at him in a short silence.
“You are being very cruel, Jack. Do you think there will be much happiness for me?” She turned away her head.
He laid both his hands on her shoulders, compelled her gaze to meet his.
“Then let me give you happiness! Betty, I love you! I love you! I care for nothing in the world but you! Risk it! Forget everything except that you love me and I love you! You will never regret it. I will make you the happiest woman on earth as I shall be the happiest man. You cannot live without love! I love you, Betty!—and I shall always, always love you! Trust yourself to it, whatever happens!”