“I am speaking of things unspeakable,” he said. “I can no more convey to you all that meant than by a mere enumeration of colours can I steep your soul in the feeling of a sunset.... So there I sat, with her hand covered and clasped in mine. I had been told that very likely she would not speak, and for myself there was no word in the world which would not be dross in the gold of that silence. “And then from behind her veil there came a whisper. “‘I couldn’t die without seeing you,’ she said. ‘I was sure you would come. I’ve one thing to say to you. I loved you, and I tried to choke my love. And for years, my dear, I have been reaping the harvest of what I did. I tried to kill love, but it was so much stronger than I. And now the harvest is gathered. I have suffered cruelly, you know, but I bless every pang of it. I needed it all....’ “Only a few minutes before, I had quaked at the thought of seeing her. But now I could not suffer that the veil should cover her face. “‘Put up your veil, darling,’ I said. ‘I must see you.’ “‘No, no,’ she whispered. ‘I should horrify you. I am terrible.’ “‘You can’t be terrible to me,’ I said. ‘I am going to lift it.’ “I raised her veil. And what did I see? I might have known, I think: I might have guessed that at this moment, supreme and perfect, I should see with vision. “There was no scar or ravage of disease or disfigurement there. She was far lovelier than she had ever been, and on her face there shone the dawn of the everlasting day. She had shed all that was perishable and subject to decay, and her immortal spirit was manifested to me, purged and punished if you will, but humble and holy. There was granted to my frail mortal sight the power of seeing truly; it was permitted to me to be with her beyond the bounds of mortality.... “And then, even as I was lost in an amazement of love and wonder, I saw we were not alone in the room. Two boys, whom I recognized, were standing at the other side of the bed, looking at her. It seemed utterly natural that they should be there. “‘We’ve been allowed to come for you, mother darling,’ said one. ‘Get up.’ “She turned her face to them. “‘Ah, my dears,’ she said. ‘How lovely of you. But just one moment.’ “She bent over towards me and kissed me. “‘Thank you for coming, Roderick,’ she said. ‘Good-bye, just for a little while.’ “At that my power of sight--my power of true sight--failed. Her head fell back on the pillows and turned over on one side. For one second, before I let the veil drop over it again, I had a glimpse of her face, marred and cruelly mutilated. I saw that, I say, but never then nor afterwards could I remember it. It was like a terrible dream, which utterly fades on the awaking. Then her hand, which had been clasping mine, in that moment of her farewell slackened its hold, and dropped on to the bed. She had just moved away, somewhere out of sight, with her two boys to look after her.” He paused.