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〃He glanced at her； as though almost he would appeal to her。
Then he asked me suddenly if I had heard of a great and avenging
declaration that Evesham had made？ Now； Evesham had always before
been the man next to myself in the leadership of that great party
in the north。 He was a forcible； hard； and tactless man； and only
I had been able to control and soften him。 It was on his account
even more than my own； I think； that the others had been so
dismayed at my retreat。 So this question about what he had done
reawakened my old interest in the life I had put aside just for
a moment。
〃'I have taken no heed of any news for many days；' I said。
'What has Evesham been saying？'
〃And with that the man began； nothing loth； and I must confess
even I was struck by Evesham's reckless folly in the wild and
threatening words he had used。 And this messenger they had sent to
me not only told me of Evesham's speech； but went on to ask counsel
and to point out what need they had of me。 While he talked； my
lady sat a little forward and watched his face and mine。
〃My old habits of scheming and organising reasserted
themselves。 I could even see myself suddenly returning to the
north； and all the dramatic effect of it。 All that this man said
witnessed to the disorder of the party indeed； but not to its
damage。 I should go back stronger than I had come。 And then I
thought of my lady。 You seehow can I tell you？ There were
certain peculiarities of our relationshipas things are I need not
tell you about thatwhich would render her presence with me
impossible。 I should have had to leave her； indeed； I should have
had to renounce her clearly and openly； if I was to do all that I
could do in the north。 And the man knew that； even as he talked to
her and me； knew it as well as she did； that my steps to duty
werefirst； separation； then abandonment。 At the touch of that
thought my dream of a return was shattered。 I turned on the man
suddenly； as he was imagining his eloquence was gaining ground with
me。
〃'What have I to do with these things now？' I said。 'I have
done with them。 Do you think I am coquetting with your people in
coming here？'
〃'No；' he said。 'But'
〃'Why cannot you leave me alone。 I have done with these
things。 I have ceased to be anything but a private man。'
〃'Yes；' he answered。 'But have you thought？this talk of
war； these reckless challenges； these wild aggressions'
〃I stood up。
〃'No；' I cried。 'I won't hear you。 I took count of all those
things； I weighed themand I have come away。'
〃He seemed to consider the possibility of persistence。 He
looked from me to where the lady sat regarding us。
〃'War；' he said； as if he were speaking to himself； and then
turned slowly from me and walked away。
〃I stood； caught in the whirl of thoughts his appeal had set
going。
〃I heard my lady's voice。
〃'Dear；' she said； 'but if they had need of you'
〃She did not finish her sentence； she let it rest there。 I
turned to her sweet face； and the balance of my mood swayed and
reeled。
〃'They want me only to do the thing they dare not do
themselves；' I said。 'If they distrust Evesham they must settle
with him themselves。'
〃She looked at me doubtfully。
〃'But war' she said。
〃I saw a doubt on her face that I had seen before； a doubt of
herself and me； the first shadow of the discovery that； seen
strongly and completely； must drive us apart for ever。
〃Now； I was an older mind than hers； and I could sway her to
this belief or that。
〃'My dear one；' I said； 'you must not trouble over these
things。 There will be no war。 Certainly there will be no war。
The age of wars is past。 Trust me to know the justice of this
case。 They have no right upon me； dearest； and no one has a right
upon me。 I have been free to choose my life； and I have chosen
this。'
〃'But war；' she said。
〃I sat down beside her。 I put an arm behind her and took her
hand in mine。 I set myself to drive that doubt awayI set myself
to fill her mind with pleasant things again。 I lied to her； and in
lying to her I lied also to myself。 And she was only too ready to
believe me； only too ready to forget。
〃Very soon the shadow had gone again； and we were hastening to
our bathing…place in the Grotta del Bovo Marino； where it was our
custom to bathe every day。 We swam and splashed one another； and
in that buoyant water I seemed to become something lighter and
stronger than a man。 And at last we came out dripping and
rejoicing and raced among the rocks。 And then I put on a dry
bathing…dress； and we sat to bask in the sun； and presently I
nodded； resting my head against her knee； and she put her hand upon
my hair and stroked it softly and I dozed。 And behold！ as it
were with the snapping of the string of a violin； I was awakening；
and I was in my own bed in Liverpool； in the life of to…day。
〃Only for a time I could not believe that all these vivid
moments had been no more than the substance of a dream。
〃In truth； I could not believe it a dream for all the sobering
reality of things about me。 I bathed and dressed as it were by
habit； and as I shaved I argued why I of all men should leave the
woman I loved to go back to fantastic politics in the hard and
strenuous north。 Even if Evesham did force the world back to war；
what was that to me？ I was a man with the heart of a man； and why
should I feel the responsibility of a deity for the way the world
might go？
〃You know that is not quite the way I think about affairs；
about my real affairs。 I am a solicitor； you know； with a point of
view。
〃The vision was so real； you must understand； so utterly
unlike a dream that I kept perpetually recalling little irrelevant
details； even the ornament of the book…cover that lay on my wife's
sewing…machine in the breakfast…room recalled with the utmost
vividness the gilt line that ran about the seat in the alcove where
I had talked with the messenger from my deserted party。 Have you
ever heard of a dream that had a quality like that？〃
〃Like？〃
〃So that afterwards you remembered little details you had
forgotten。〃
I thought。 I had never noticed the point before； but he was
right。
〃Never；〃 I said。 〃That is what you never seem to do with
dreams。〃
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃But that is just what I did。 I am a
solicitor； you must understand； in Liverpool； and I could not help
wondering what the clients and business people I found myself
talking to in my office would think if I told them suddenly I was
in love with a girl who would be born a couple of hundred years or
so hence； and worried about the politics of my great…great…great…
grandchildren。 I was chiefly busy that day negotiating a
ninety…nine…year building lease。 It was a private builder in a
hurry； and we wanted to tie him in every possible way。 I had an
interview with him； and he showed a certain want of temper that
sent me to bed still irritated。 That night I had no dream。 Nor
did I dream the next night； at least； to remember。
〃Something of that intense reality of conviction vanished。 I
began to feel sure it was a dream。 And then it came again。
〃When the dream came again； nearly four days later； it was
very different。 I think it certain that four days had also elapsed
in the dream。 Many things had happened in the north； and the
shadow of them was back again between us； and this time it was not
so easily dispelled。 I began I know with moody musings。 Why； in
spite of all； should I go back； go back for all the rest of my days
to toil and stress； insults and perpetual dissatisfaction； simply
to save hundreds of millions of common people； whom I did not love；
whom too often I could do no other than despise； from the stress
and anguish of war and infinite misrule？ And after all I might
fail。 They all sought their own narrow ends； and why should not
Iwhy should not I also live as a man？ And out of such thoughts
her voice summoned me； and I lifted my eyes。
I found myself awake and walking。 We had come out above the
Pleasure City； we were near the summit of Monte Solaro and looking
towards the bay。 It was the late afternoon and very clear。 Far
away to the left Ischia hung in a golden haze between sea and sky；
and Naples was coldly white against the hills； and before us was
Vesuvius with a tall and slender streamer feathering at last
towards the south； and the ruins of Torre dell' Annunziata and
Castellammare glittering and near。〃
I interrupted suddenly： 〃You have been to Capri； of course？〃
〃Only in this dream；〃 he said； 〃only in this dream。 All
across the bay beyond Sorrento were the floating palaces of the
Pleasure City moored and chained。 And northward were the broad
floating stages that received the aeroplanes。 Aeroplanes fell out
of the s