“It ought to be life,” said Nancy. “It--it might have been life.... It is only when a moment, a moment like this comes that the quality of what we have lived seems so tarnished, that the atmosphere which we ourselves have helped to make is so sordid. When I think of the intrigues, and divorces, the self-indulgences,--when I think of my own marriage--” her voice caught. “How are we going to better it, Hugh, this way? Am I to get that part of you I love, and are you to get what you crave in me? Can we just seize happiness? Will it not elude us just as much as though we believed firmly in the ten commandments?” “No,” I declared obstinately. She shook her head. “What I'm afraid of is that the world isn't made that way--for you--for me. We're permitted to seize those other things because they're just baubles, we've both found out how worthless they are. And the worst of it is they've made me a coward, Hugh. It isn't that I couldn't do without them, I've come to depend on them in another way. It's because they give me a certain protection,--do you see? they've come to stand in the place of the real convictions we've lost. And--well, we've taken the baubles, can we reach out our hands and take--this? Won't we be punished for it, frightfully punished?” “I don't care if we are,” I said, and surprised myself. “But I care. It's weak, it's cowardly, but it's so. And yet I want to face the situation--I'm trying to get you to face it, to realize how terrible it is.” “I only know that I want you above everything else in the world--I'll take care of you--” I seized her arms, I drew her down to me. “Don't!” she cried. “Oh, don't!” and struggled to her feet and stood before me panting. “You must go away now--please, Hugh. I can't bear any more--I want to think.” I released her. She sank into the chair and hid her face in her hands....