As he spoke, he hit and split and crushed down half the table. Then he drew a long inhalation, reseated himself, wiped his brow, and said— 'There is no Joshua. You swore to me there was none.' 'I think I can comprehend this roundabout talk,' said Zita. 'But if you mean that I am your Promised Land, you are mistaken. I never was promised to you.' 'No, that is true; you are the Loved Land, the Desired Land. No, you never were promised.' 'And it is quite certain that I am not for you.' 'I know it.' 'And I will trouble you to keep your Pisgah at a distance, and stick to it,' said Zita. 'You have told me that you never can be mine, and you have told me also why. My sin stands between us, as a sin stood between Moses and Canaan. And yet—I would do it again if I met him. You do not know how Runham wronged me; you have never learned what was my provocation. I pay the penalty of my sin, as did Moses. That very night I killed him—that very same night, not two minutes after the last bubbles came from his lips—I first saw you. The punishment followed on the crime faster than the thunder-clap after the lightning-flash. Well, then, so long as you remain before my eyes, that I can see your golden hair, and hear your lark-like voice, I am content. I have all I can expect. I will try to be content. But I could not endure to have a Joshua near me.' 'There is none—if you mean a Jack.' 'I trust your word. Mark Runham is nothing to you?' 'I am nothing to Mark,' said Zita, with slight evasion. 'He would not even look at me in court.' 'So long as you remain here, I will bear my burden, though it break my heart, bit by bit. But that is better than to lose you altogether. No'—he stood up again, went to the window, leaned his arm and head against the shattered casement, and let the wind blow in on him through the broken glass—'no, that I can bear—to have you here. But to lose you—to see you no more—I cannot even endure to think of that.' Zita made a movement to escape. He heard her, and, without turning his head, made a sign to her with his hand to stay. 'Do not leave me. I have still something I must say. I want to strike a bargain with you.' 'A deal? I am ready.' Zita resumed her place. Drownlands came slowly back to the table.