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floating stages that received the aeroplanes。 Aeroplanes fell out
of the sky every afternoon； each bringing its thousands of
pleasure…seekers from the uttermost parts of the earth to Capri and
its delights。 All these things； I say； stretched below。
〃But we noticed them only incidentally because of an unusual
sight that evening had to show。 Five war aeroplanes that had long
slumbered useless in the distant arsenals of the Rhinemouth were
manoeuvring now in the eastward sky。 Evesham had astonished the
world by producing them and others； and sending them to circle here
and there。 It was the threat material in the great game of bluff
he was playing； and it had taken even me by surprise。 He was one
of those incredibly stupid energetic people who seem sent by heaven
to create disasters。 His energy to the first glance seemed so
wonderfully like capacity！ But he had no imagination； no
invention； only a stupid； vast； driving force of will； and a mad
faith in his stupid idiot 'luck' to pull him through。 I remember
how we stood upon the headland watching the squadron circling far
away； and how I weighed the full meaning of the sight； seeing
clearly the way things must go。 And then even it was not too late。
I might have gone back； I think； and saved the world。 The people
of the north would follow me； I knew； granted only that in one
thing I respected their moral standards。 The east and south would
trust me as they would trust no other northern man。 And I knew
I had only to put it to her and she would have let me go 。 。 。 。
Not because she did not love me！
〃Only I did not want to go； my will was all the other way
about。 I had so newly thrown off the incubus of responsibility： I
was still so fresh a renegade from duty that the daylight clearness
of what I ought to do had no power at all to touch my will。 My
will was to live； to gather pleasures and make my dear lady happy。
But though this sense of vast neglected duties had no power to draw
me； it could make me silent and preoccupied； it robbed the days I
had spent of half their brightness and roused me into dark
meditations in the silence of the night。 And as I stood and
watched Evesham's aeroplanes sweep to and frothose birds of
infinite ill omenshe stood beside me watching me； perceiving the
trouble indeed； but not perceiving it clearlyher eyes questioning
my face； her expression shaded with perplexity。 Her face was gray
because the sunset was fading out of the sky。 It was no fault of
hers that she held me。 She had asked me to go from her； and again
in the night time and with tears she had asked me to go。
〃At last it was the sense of her that roused me from my mood。
I turned upon her suddenly and challenged her to race down the
mountain slopes。 'No；' she said； as if I had jarred with her
gravity； but I was resolved to end that gravity； and make her
runno one can be very gray and sad who is out of breathand when
she stumbled I ran with my hand beneath her arm。 We ran down past
a couple of men； who turned back staring in astonishment at my
behaviourthey must have recognised my face。 And half way down
the slope came a tumult in the air； clang…clank； clang…clank； and
we stopped； and presently over the hill…crest those war things came
flying one behind the other。〃
The man seemed hesitating on the verge of a description。
〃What were they like？〃 I asked。
〃They had never fought；〃 he said。 〃They were just like our
ironclads are nowadays； they had never fought。 No one knew what
they might do； with excited men inside them； few even cared to
speculate。 They were great driving things shaped like spear…heads
without a shaft； with a propeller in the place of the shaft。〃
〃Steel？〃
〃Not steel。〃
〃Aluminum？〃
〃No； no； nothing of that sort。 An alloy that was very
commonas common as brass； for example。 It was calledlet me
see〃 He squeezed his forehead with the fingers of one hand。 〃I
am forgetting everything；〃 he said。
〃And they carried guns？〃
〃Little guns； firing high explosive shells。 They fired the
guns backwards； out of the base of the leaf； so to speak； and
rammed with the beak。 That was the theory； you know； but they had
never been fought。 No one could tell exactly what was going to
happen。 And meanwhile I suppose it was very fine to go whirling
through the air like a flight of young swallows； swift and easy。
I guess the captains tried not to think too clearly what the real
thing would be like。 And these flying war machines； you know； were
only one sort of the endless war contrivances that had been
invented and had fallen into abeyance during the long peace。 There
were all sorts of these things that people were routing out and
furbishing up； infernal things； silly things； things that had never
been tried； big engines； terrible explosives； great guns。 You know
the silly way of these ingenious sort of men who make these things；
they turn 'em out as beavers build dams； and with no more sense of
the rivers they're going to divert and the lands they're going to
flood！
〃As we went down the winding stepway to our hotel again； in
the twilight； I foresaw it all： I saw how clearly and inevitably
things were driving for war in Evesham's silly； violent hands； and
I had some inkling of what war was bound to be under these new
conditions。 And even then； though I knew it was drawing near the
limit of my opportunity； I could find no will to go back。〃
He sighed。
〃That was my last chance。
〃We didn't go into the city until the sky was full of stars；
so we walked out upon the high terrace； to and fro； andshe
counselled me to go back。
〃'My dearest；' she said； and her sweet face looked up to me；
'this is Death。 This life you lead is Death。 Go back to them； go
back to your duty'
〃She began to weep； saying； between her sobs； and clinging to
my arm as she said it； 'Go backGo back。'
〃Then suddenly she fell mute； and； glancing down at her face；
I read in an instant the thing she had thought to do。 It was one
of those moments when one sees。
〃'No！' I said。
〃'No？' she asked； in surprise and I think a little fearful at
the answer to her thought。
〃'Nothing；' I said； 'shall send me back。 Nothing！ I have
chosen。 Love； I have chosen； and the world must go。 Whatever
happens I will live this lifeI will live for you！ Itnothing
shall turn me aside； nothing； my dear one。 Even if you diedeven
if you died'
〃'Yes？' she murmured； softly。
〃'ThenI also would die。'
〃And before she could speak again I began to talk； talking
eloquentlyas I could do in that lifetalking to exalt love； to
make the life we were living seem heroic and glorious； and the
thing I was deserting something hard and enormously ignoble that it
was a fine thing to set aside。 I bent all my mind to throw that
glamour upon it； seeking not only to convert her but myself to
that。 We talked； and she clung to me； torn too between all that
she deemed noble and all that she knew was sweet。 And at last I
did make it heroic； made all the thickening disaster of the world
only a sort of glorious setting to our unparalleled love； and we
two poor foolish souls strutted there at last； clad in that
splendid delusion； drunken rather with that glorious delusion；
under the still stars。
〃And so my moment passed。
〃It was my last chance。 Even as we went to and fro there； the
leaders of the south and east were gathering their resolve； and the
hot answer that shattered Evesham's bluffing for ever； took shape
and waited。 And； all over Asia； and the ocean； and the South； the
air and the wires were throbbing with their warnings to prepare
prepare。
〃No one living； you know； knew what war was； no one could
imagine； with all these new inventions； what horror war might
bring。 I believe most people still believed it would be a matter
of bright uniforms and shouting charges and triumphs and flags and
bandsin a time when half the world drew its food supply from
regions ten thousand miles away〃
The man with the white face paused。 I glanced at him； and his
face was intent on the floor of the carriage。 A little railway
station； a string of loaded trucks； a signal…box； and the back of
a cottage； shot by the carriage window； and a bridge passed with a
clap of noise； echoing the tumult of the train。
〃After that；〃 he said； 〃I dreamt often。 For three weeks of
nights that dream was my life。 And the worst of it was there were
nights when I could not dream； when I lay tossing on a bed in this
accursed life； and theresomewhere lost to methings were
happeningmomentous； terrible things 。 。 。 I lived at nightsmy
days； my waking days； this life I am living now； became a faded；
far…away dream； a drab setting； the cover of the book。〃
He thought。
〃I could tell you all； tell you every little thing in the
drea