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nded； by doing； in the most important particular； what most men dofind the answer to life in patching up an alliance of a sort with a woman no better than himselfhow had she escaped it； and how could the alliance； such as it was； since they must suppose it had been more or less noticed； have failed to make her rather positively talked about？
〃I never said；〃 May Bartram replied； 〃that it hadn't made me a good deal talked about。〃
〃Ah well then you're not 'saved。'〃
〃It hasn't been a question for me。 If you've had your woman I've had；〃 she said； 〃my man。〃
〃And you mean that makes you all right？〃
Oh it was always as if there were so much to say！
〃I don't know why it shouldn't make mehumanly； which is what we're speaking ofas right as it makes you。〃
〃I see；〃 Marcher returned。 〃'Humanly；' no doubt； as showing that you're living for something。 Not； that is； just for me and my secret。〃
May Bartram smiled。 〃I don't pretend it exactly shows that I'm not living for you。 It's my intimacy with you that's in question。〃
He laughed as he saw what she meant。 〃Yes； but since； as you say； I'm only； so far as people make out； ordinary； you'rearen't you？ no more than ordinary either。 You help me to pass for a man like another。 So if I AM； as I understand you； you're not compromised。 Is that it？〃
She had another of her waits； but she spoke clearly enough。 〃That's it。 It's all that concerns meto help you to pass for a man like another。〃
He was careful to acknowledge the remark handsomely。 〃How kind； how beautiful； you are to me！ How shall I ever repay you？〃
She had her last grave pause； as if there might be a choice of ways。 But she chose。 〃By going on as you are。〃
It was into this going on as he was that they relapsed； and really for so long a time that the day inevitably came for a further sounding of their depths。 These depths； constantly bridged over by a structure firm enough in spite of its lightness and of its occasional oscillation in the somewhat vertiginous air； invited on occasion； in the interest of their nerves； a dropping of the plummet and a measurement of the abyss。 A difference had been made moreover； once for all； by the fact that she had all the while not appeared to feel the need of rebutting his charge of an idea within her that she didn't dare to expressa charge uttered just before one of the fullest of their later discussions ended。 It had come up for him then that she 〃knew〃 something and that what she knew was badtoo bad to tell him。 When he had spoken of it as visibly so bad that she was afraid he might find it out； her reply had left the matter too equivocal to be let alone and yet； for Marcher's special sensibility； almost too formidable again to touch。 He circled about it at a distance that alternately narrowed and widened and that still wasn't much affected by the consciousness in him that there was nothing she could 〃know；〃 after all； any better than he did。 She had no source of knowledge he hadn't equally except of course that she might have finer nerves。 That was what women had where they were interested； they made out things； where people were concerned； that the people often couldn't have made out for themselves。 Their nerves； their sensibility； their imagination； were conductors and revealers； and the beauty of May Bartram was in particular that she had given herself so to his case。 He felt in these days what； oddly enough； he had never felt before； the growth of a dread of losing her by some catastrophe some catastrophe that yet wouldn't at all be the catastrophe： partly because she had almost of a sudden begun to strike him as more useful to him than ever yet； and partly by reason of an appearance of uncertainty in her health； co…incident and equally new。 It was characteristic of the inner detachment he had hitherto so successfully cultivated and to which our whole account of him is a reference； it was characteristic that his complications； such as they were； had never yet seemed so as at this crisis to thicken about him； even to the point of making him ask himself if he were； by any chance； of a truth； within sight or sound； within touch or reach； within the immediate jurisdiction； of the thing that waited。
When the day came； as come it had to； that his friend confessed to him her fear of a deep disorder in her blood； he felt somehow the shadow of a change and the chill of a shock。 He immediately began to imagine aggravations and disasters； and above all to think of her peril as the direct menace for himself of personal privation。 This indeed gave him one of those partial recoveries of equanimity that were agreeable to himit showed him that what was still first in his mind was the loss she herself might suffer。 〃What if she should have to die before knowing； before seeing？〃 It would have been brutal； in the early stages of her trouble； to put that question to her； but it had immediately sounded for him to his own concern； and the possibility was what most made him sorry for her。 If she did 〃know；〃 moreover； in the sense of her having had some what should he think？mystical irresistible light； this would make the matter not better； but worse； inasmuch as her original adoption of his own curiosity had quite become the basis of her life。 She had been living to see what would BE to be seen； and it would quite lacerate her to have to give up before the accomplishment of the vision。 These reflexions； as I say； quickened his generosity； yet； make them as he might； he saw himself； with the lapse of the period； more and more disconcerted。 It lapsed for him with a strange steady sweep； and the oddest oddity was that it gave him； independently of the threat of much inconvenience； almost the only positive surprise his career； if career it could be called； had yet offered him。 She kept the house as she had never done； he had to go to her to see hershe could meet him nowhere now； though there was scarce a corner of their loved old London in which she hadn't in the past； at one time or another； done so； and he found her always seated by her fire in the deep old…fashioned chair she was less and less able to leave。 He had been struck one day； after an absence exceeding his usual measure； with her suddenly looking much older to him than he had ever thought of her being； then he recognised that the suddenness was all on his sidehe had just simply and suddenly noticed。 She looked older because inevitably； after so many years； she WAS old； or almost； which was of course true in still greater measure of her companion。 If she was old； or almost； John Marcher assuredly was； and yet it was her showing of the lesson； not his own； that brought the truth home to him。 His surprises began here； when once they had begun they multiplied； they came rather with a rush： it was as if； in the oddest way in the world； they had all been kept back； sown in a thick cluster； for the late afternoon of life； the time at which for people in general the unexpected has died out。
One of them was that he should have caught himselffor he HAD so doneREALLY wondering if the great accident would take form now as nothing more than his being condemned to see this charming woman； this admirable friend； pass away from him。 He had never so unreservedly qualified her as while confronted in thought with such a possibility； in spite of which there was small doubt for him that as an answer to his long riddle the mere effacement of even so fine a feature of his situation would be an abject anticlimax。 It would represent； as connected with his past attitude； a drop of dignity under the shadow of which his existence could only become the most grotesques of failures。 He had been far from holding it a failure… …long as he had waited for the appearance that was to make it a success。 He had waited for quite another thing； not for such a thing as that。 The breath of his good faith came short； however； as he recognised how long he had waited； or how long at least his companion had。 That she； at all events； might be recorded as having waited in vainthis affected him sharply； and all the more because of his it first having done little more than amuse himself with the idea。 It grew more grave as the gravity of her condition grew； and the state of mind it produced in him； which he himself ended by watching as if it had been some definite disfigurement of his outer person； may pass for another of his surprises。 This conjoined itself still with another； the really stupefying consciousness of a question that he would have allowed to shape itself had he dared。 What did everything meanwhat； that is； did SHE mean； she and her vain waiting and her probable death and the soundless admonition of it allunless that； at this time of day； it was simply； it was overwhelmingly too late？ He had never at any stage of his queer consciousness admitted the whisper of such a correction； he had never till within these last few months been so false to his conviction as not to hold that what was to come to him had time； whether HE struck himself as having it or not。 That at last； at last； he certainly hadn't it； to speak of； or had it but in the scantiest measuresuch； soon enough； as things went with him； became the inference with w