“No,” she replied. “Too much has happened before this. It is over.” “You poor girl. You’ve suffered over it.” “I put a good deal into it.... But this had to happen. Miles must have no ties.” Osprey’s animation returned and he spoke in a more impersonal tone. “Perhaps you’re right. I think the young man has not grown up in spite of his years. But he may find himself. They have a kind of strength, fellows like that, a kind of terrible strength that no one suspects. I’ve seen his type before. The fact is,” he added, with a half-serious smile, “I’ve been something of the sort myself. It’s often hard to locate the origin of a fool’s folly, but I think in my case it was an experience I had when I was a boy. It wasn’t a peccadillo with me. It haunted me for years, so much that I can’t talk freely about it to this day. It made life a desperate adventure; it was at the back of most of my troubles....” He laughed. “I seem like an old fool to be telling you all this. And truly my nightmares appear absurd to me now.” Moira laughed a little bitterly. “Something happened to me too when I was young.... But I am free.... I tore myself free from it.” “I thought so,” he said gently. “There is a great difference in our ages, but if I may say so, we seem to have--well, had something alike to face in life. No, I do not mean just that--it’s presumptuous. I have never, I think, before met any woman quite like you. Strength and the genius for insight, such as yours, rarely meet in the same body.” A hungry intensity in his words escaped him unawares. Though he had spoken nothing of significance, the feeling that shook him reached her through the dusk with sinister force. She had felt the same thing before and had had a momentary impulse to run, to break free from it. She did not want to be subjected to another tyranny of her emotions.... Yet she had reasoned with herself. Here was a future that could in every sense be ideal, a man with whom she had everything in common and whom she knew she could trust.... A moment later he changed the subject and she was glad. “By the way,” he said, “why not have your guest stay over, if he will? You know I’ve extra bedrooms, and there is no reason why he should not occupy one as long as he likes.” It was a point that had worried and embarrassed her, and she was inexpressibly pleased that he had thought of it. “You’re too good,” she said fervently, “and I would love to keep him.” They chatted on over impersonal shallows until the time came for her to return to the cottage. XXV