“I had to write to you,” I said.

“I had to come.”

“When are you to be married?”

“Thursday week.”

“Well?” I said. “But—can we?”

She leant forward and scrutinised my face with eyes wide open. “What do you mean?” she said at last in a whisper.

“Can we stand it? After all?”

I looked at her white face. “Can you?” I said.

She whispered. “Your career?”

Then suddenly her face was contorted,—she wept silently, exactly as a child tormented beyond endurance might suddenly weep....