There was not a sound; not a living creature was awake but themselves. They might have been in the shadowy hereafter, with all space about them; in the twilight of eternity. Where they rested, the air was clear as a polar noon; not a stray wreath of that idle froth floated about them. "I came here," said Nina, turning to Thorpe, "because I knew it would be like this. It will be easier to hear what you think of me, than it would have been down there." He brought his hands down on her shoulders, gripping them as if possessed of the instinct to hurt. "Once or twice I could have killed you as you spoke," he said. "I shall marry you and cure you, or go to hell with you. As I feel now, it does not matter much which." And then he caught her in his arms and kissed her, with the desire which was consuming him. "But even you cannot conquer me," she said to him an hour later. "I shall not marry you until I have conquered myself. I believe now that I can. I got your letter. I very nearly knew that you would say what you have done, after I told you the truth. I won't marry you, knowing that, in spite of your love, which I do not doubt, at the bottom of your intelligence, you despise me. I have always felt that if I could make a year's successful fight, I should never fall again. There may be no reason for this belief; but we are more or less controlled by imagination. There is no doubt in my mind on this point. If I win alone, you will respect me again, and love me better." "I do not despise you. I hardly know what I felt for you five weeks ago. But I have only sympathy for you now--and love! You must let me do the fighting. It will knit us the more closely--" "It would wear me out, kill me, knowing that you were watching my struggles, no matter how lovingly. Besides, I know myself; my moods are unbearable at such times. I cannot control my temper. Before the year was over, we should have bickered our love into ruins. We could not begin over again. If you will do as I wish, I believe we can be happy. It is not long to wait--we are both young. Cannot you see that I am right?" "I don't want to leave you, not for a day again!" "And I don't want you to go! But I know that it is our only chance. If you marry me now, you will hate me before the year is over; and, what is worse, I shall hate you. The steamer sails to-morrow. Will you go?" He hesitated, and argued, a long while; but finally he said: "I will go." "Don't go all the way back to England. I should like to think you were in America; that would help me." "I will stay in New Orleans, and write by every steamer." "Oh, do, do! And if I do not write as regularly, you will understand. There will be times when I simply cannot write. But promise that, no matter what you hear, you will not lose faith in me."