It needed a cruel blow to rouse it."
"And mine!" she answered, in a low voice.
"We shall make many mistakes, both of us," he said. "But I think,
after that night, we can never for very long misunderstand each other.
For that night we were sincere."
"Let us always be sincere."
"Sincerity is the rock on which one should build the house of life."
"Let us--you and I--let us build upon it our palace of the spirits."
Then they were silent again. They were silent until the boat passed
the point, until in the distance the island appeared, even until the
prow of the boat grated against the rock beneath the window of the
Casa del Mare.
As Hermione got out Gaspare bent to kiss her hand.
"Benedicite!" he murmured.
And, as she pressed his hand with both of hers, she answered:
"Benedicite!"
That night, not very late, but when darkness had fallen over the sea,
Hermione said to Vere:
"I am going out for a little, Vere."
"Yes, Madre."
The child put her arms round her mother and kissed her.
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