I had entered into your life in a
moment of frivolous recklessness, but you had entered into mine with
another purpose, and I could not rid myself of you. Your hold upon me
was strong. It grew stronger, do what I would, and the farce became
deadly earnest."
"For me it was always deadly earnest," he said. "When I first saw you
standing before the idol, it was as though a wall which had surrounded
my life had been overthrown, and that you had come to be my guide and
comrade in a new and unknown world."
"And then I failed you."
His eyes met hers thoughtfully.
"Did you? Now I look back, I am not sure. I had to believe you when
you said you had deceived me and played with me. I had to force myself
to despise you. Yet, when you confronted me in the bungalow, I felt
suddenly that you needed to explain nothing. I understood."
"Did you understand that I had only deceived myself? I told myself
that it was a farce played at your expense. But--Heaven knows--I
believe it ceased to be a farce from the first hour I saw you. You
believed in me so. No one had believed in me before--I had never
believed in myself or in man, or in God, either. But I had to believe
in you, and afterward--the rest came." She drew herself upright and
looked him full in the dark eyes. "Steven, do you trust me?" He
nodded. "As you did on that day when you told me that you owed me all
that you were and ever would be?"
"As then, Beatrice.
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