"I do not wish to be healed," answered her mistress.
"Then must you be always ill of this thing."
"So be it. That is better than a forgetting."
"But it must go no further," pleaded the servitor. "There must be no touches, no eyes, no beatings of the heart."
"Can you stop the beating of the heart? The adoring of the eyes? Can any one?"
"Yes. In your room waits always the goddess of tranquillity. Go there. Stay there. She will soothe you."
"Yes, when he is gone—quite gone—then we will try for that tranquillity. We had it before he came!"
"We shall have it again," cheered the maid. "As soon as he is gone—"
"Oh!" A flash of Hoshiko's old manner energized her. "I know a better and happier way to insure that tranquillity."
"What is it?"