Then we can get out by the way we came in."
"It will not go down. I am sure it will not."
"It is too soon to lose courage," Malipieri said.
"I am not frightened. It will not be hard to die, if it does not hurt.
It will be much harder for you, because you are so strong. You will
live a long time."
"Not unless I can save you," he answered, rising. "I am going back to
work. It will be time enough to talk about death when my strength is
all gone."
He spoke almost roughly, partly because for one moment she had made
him feel a sort of sudden dread that she might be right, partly to
make her think that he thought the supposition sheer nonsense.
"Are you angry?" she asked, like a child.
"No!" He made an effort and laughed almost cheerfully. "But you had
better think about what you should like for supper in two or three
hours! It is hardly worth while to put out that lamp," he added. "It
will burn nearly twelve hours, for it is big, and it was quite full.
There is a great deal of heat in it, too."
He went away again. But when he was gone, she drew the lamp over to
her without leaving her seat, and put it out. She was very tired and a
little faint, and by and by the distant sound of the crowbar brought
back the drowsiness she had felt before, and leaning her head against
the Aphrodite's curving waist, she lost consciousness.
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