"Yes," he said, "I think I do know." He wanted to keep his gaze away from her and to keep it cool, but somehow each time their eyes met a flame leaped up out of embers, a fiery new consciousness that kept dancing. "He and--and my parents--you see, they--Well, I told you everything in the letter." "Are your parents returning home?" "Yes. That's what I've come to say. You see--they--we--we've decided to remain here two months. Until September--up in my little apartment, all of us. In September Zoe is to have her audition with Auchinloss. So much depends on that. We've such hopes, her teacher and I. She's pure lyric soprano. We think grand-opera brand. And now with the war on, more and more the American girl is getting her chance. That's why my parents have finally consented to wait here with me until then. After that, Zoe is to stay with Ida Blair and we three--my parents and I--are going home--together. That is what I have come to tell you. I'll be giving up my work with you in--September. I'm going home--with them." He regarded her, his flush going down perceptibly. "You're fooling." "No," she said, trying to smile. "I suppose it's about the most solemn job I have left to do in life--going home." "Why, you--you can't go back there." "I can," she said, her voice held calm. "I--we can't let you go." "Why? Zoe--my big job's done." "Lilly, I tell you we need you here more than ever. My brother arrives this morning from Seattle. We've completed the cross-country chain. I'm free now to branch out. I'm counting on you. I'm full of an idea for that community opera scheme and I'm ready to do the play from the Russian on your say-so. Lilly--you cannot go now--" "I can--must," she said, scraping back her chair. "You must work out your dreams--alone--with some one else. I--must--go." And then withdrawing from what she saw: "No! No! Bruce! No! No!" But just the same they were in each other's arms with the irresistibility of tide for moon and moon for tide. Press him back with her palms as she would when his lips found hers, it was as if something etheric had flowed into her brain. She wanted to resist him and instead her hands met in a clasp about his neck. "No, no." And yet as he kissed her eyelids and down against the satinness of her hair, it seemed to her that toward this moment all the poor blind years had been directed. "Lilly--darling." She tried to shake off her enchantment. "You hurt!" "I want to." "My--love." "My love." "So this--this is it?" "What?" "Love." "Love. Love." "How beautiful--sex." "I want to kiss those stars out of your eyes. I want to wind you in moonlight." "Bruce, I think I must be mad. Crazily--deliciously mad." "Me too. I'm as deliciously, as crazily mad as any young Leander. I want to swim a thousand Hellesponts for you. I want--" "No--no--no, Bruce, you don't understand--my love--" "I do understand. That I have you now to love and adore, to marry--"