“I’ll have to be careful,” she went on in thought--“careful, or else some day I’ll go mad.... But it’s there, whatever it is.... Something that’s in that and that’s in me as well, and they’re nearly tearing me to shreds to get closer to one another. That’s how it feels.... And I told him I wasn’t in love with _anybody_ ... But _if_ I should catch a glimpse of this something in any living being! Nothing should ever keep us apart! Nothing could! Neither life nor death--nor miles--nor anything.” She let her hands fall down the keyboard in a great culminating Niagara of octaves. Two chords like the blare of trumpets, and ... The door opened and Verreker entered. She paused with her hands poised on the keys. “Well,” he began cheerily, “it’s the last lesson of the quarter, isn’t it?” “Yes,” she said quietly. He was warming his hands in front of the fire. “Confoundedly cold for May,” he remarked parenthetically. “You’ve been taking lessons of me for a year now, haven’t you?” “Just over a year.” He stood with his back to the fire. “Well,” he continued, “you’ve not done badly. In fact, you’ve--you’ve improved--er--quite--er--beyond my expectations. I admit that.” It was the biggest compliment he had ever paid her. Pleasure surged in her blood. She flushed. “And,” he went on, “I don’t want to go on taking your money when you’re no longer likely to benefit much. As a matter of fact, you’ve come to a point at which my lessons are no longer worth three guineas each to you. You can teach yourself as well as I can teach you. I’ve led you out to the open sea, and now the time’s come for--for dropping the pilot. See?” She nodded. “So I don’t recommend you to have another quarter with me. I think it would be money wasted.” She nodded. “Of course I shall be glad to help you in any way I can if you need it.” She nodded. “And if you ever wish me to give you advice on any point of theory or technique I shall be pleased to do so.” She nodded. Pause. “... I’ve just been up to town to get some new music in manuscript from a new author. It’s quite good stuff and very modern. I’ll run it over if you’d care to hear it.” “Thanks,” she said, and vacated the stool.... When he had finished it was almost too dark to see the music. She was standing at the side of the piano with her face in the shadows. “Play ‘Jeux d’Eaux,’” she said softly. He began.... CHAPTER XIII LONELINESS § 1 SHE began to be very lonely. She had no friends.