"But--suppose--suppose--" Her voice broke. She drew her hand free and covered her face. "Oh, it's all so hopeless!" she sobbed. "I ought to have managed--better." "No, no!" In a flash his arm was round her, strong and ready; he drew her to rest against his shoulder. "There's nothing to cry about really--really! If you knew how I loathe myself for making you cry! But listen! Nobody knows. Nobody's going to know. What happened last night is between you and me alone. Only you had the key. It isn't going to make any difference in your life. You'll go on as you were before. You'll forget I ever dared to intrude on you. What, darling? What? Yes, you will forget. Of course you'll forget. I'll see to it that you do. I'll--I'll--" "Oh, stop!" Juliet said, and suddenly her face was turned upwards on his shoulder, her forehead was against his neck. "You're making the biggest mistake of your life!" "What?" he said, and fell abruptly silent and so tensely still that she thought even his heart must have been arrested on the word. For a long, long second she also was motionless, rigidly pressed to him, then with an odd little fluttering sigh she began to withdraw herself from the encircling arm. "I've dropped my cigarette," she said. "Juliet!" He stooped over her; his face was close to hers. "Am I mad? Or am I dreaming? Please make me understand! What is the mistake I have made?" She did not look at him, but he saw that her tears were gone and she was faintly, tremulously smiling. "That cigarette--" she murmured. "It really isn't safe to leave it. I don't like--playing with fire." He bent lower. "We've got to risk something," he said, and with a swiftness of decision that she had not expected he took her chin and turned her face fully upwards to his own. The colour rushed in vivid scarlet to her temples. She met his eyes for one fleeting second then closed her own with a gasp and a blind effort to escape that was instantly quelled. For he kissed her--he kissed her--pressing his lips to hers closely and ever more closely, as a man consumed with thirst draining the cup to the last precious drop. When he let her go, she was burning, quivering, tingling from head to foot as if an electric current were coursing through and through her. And the citadel had fallen. She made no further attempt to keep him out. But he did not kiss her a second time. He only held her against his heart. "Ah, Juliet--Juliet!" he said, and she felt the deep quiver of his words. "I've got you--now! You are mine." She was panting, wordless, thankful to avail herself of the shelter he offered. She leaned against him for many seconds in palpitating silence. For so long indeed was she silent that in the end misgiving pierced him and he felt for the downcast face. But in a moment she reached up and took his hand in hers, restraining him. "Not again!" she whispered. "Please not again!"