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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
dream； but as to what I did in the daytimeno。 I could not
tellI do not remember。 My memorymy memory has gone。 The
business of life slips from me〃
He leant forward； and pressed his hands upon his eyes。 For a
long time he said nothing。
〃And then？〃 said I。
〃The war burst like a hurricane。〃
He stared before him at unspeakable things。
〃And then？〃 I urged again。
〃One touch of unreality；〃 he said； in the low tone of a man
who speaks to himself；〃 and they would have been nightmares。 But
they were not nightmaresthey were not nightmares。 No！〃
He was silent for so long that it dawned upon me that there
was a danger of losing the rest of the story。 But he went on
talking again in the same tone of questioning self…communion。
〃What was there to do but flight？ I had not thought the war
would touch CapriI had seemed to see Capri as being out of it
all； as the contrast to it all； but two nights after the whole
place was shouting and bawling； every woman almost and every other
man wore a badgeEvesham's badgeand there was no music but a
jangling war…song over and over again； and everywhere men
enlisting； and in the dancing halls they were drilling。 The whole
island was awhirl with rumours； it was said； again and again； that
fighting had begun。 I had not expected this。 I had seen so little
of the life of pleasure that I had failed to reckon with this
violence of the amateurs。 And as for me； I was out of it。 I was
like the man who might have prevented the firing of a magazine。
The time had gone。 I was no one； the vainest stripling with a
badge counted for more than I。 The crowd jostled us and bawled in
our ears； that accursed song deafened us； a woman shrieked at my
lady because no badge was on her； and we two went back to our own
place again； ruffled and insultedmy lady white and silent； and I
aquiver with rage。 So furious was I； I could have quarrelled with
her if I could have found one shade of accusation in her eyes。
〃All my magnificence had gone from me。 I walked up and down
our rock cell； and outside was the darkling sea and a light to the
southward that flared and passed and came again。
〃'We must get out of this place；' I said over and over。 'I
have made my choice； and I will have no hand in these troubles。 I
will have nothing of this war。 We have taken our lives out of all
these things。 This is no refuge for us。 Let us go。'
〃And the next day we were already in flight from the war that
covered the world。
〃And all the rest was Flightall the rest was Flight。〃
He mused darkly。
〃How much was there of it？〃
He made no answer。
〃How many days？〃
His face was white and drawn and his hands were clenched。 He
took no heed of my curiosity。
I tried to draw him back to his story with questions。
〃Where did you go？〃 I said。
〃When？〃
〃When you left Capri。〃
〃South…west；〃 he said； and glanced at me for a second。 〃We
went in a boat。〃
〃But I should have thought an aeroplane？〃
〃They had been seized。〃
I questioned him no more。 Presently I thought he was beginning
again。 He broke out in an argumentative monotone：
〃But why should it be？ If； indeed； this battle； this
slaughter and stress is life； why have we this craving for pleasure
and beauty？ If there is no refuge； if there is no place of peace；
and if all our dreams of quiet places are a folly and a snare； why
have we such dreams？ Surely it was no ignoble cravings； no base
intentions； had brought us to this； it was Love had isolated us。
Love had come to me with her eyes and robed in her beauty； more
glorious than all else in life； in the very shape and colour of
life； and summoned me away。 I had silenced all the voices； I had
answered all the questionsI had come to her。 And suddenly there
was nothing but War and Death！〃
I had an inspiration。 〃 After all；〃 I said； 〃it could have
been only a dream。〃
〃A dream！〃 he cried； flaming upon me； 〃a dreamwhen； even
now〃
For the first time he became animated。 A faint flush crept
into his cheek。 He raised his open hand and clenched it； and
dropped it to his knee。 He spoke； looking away from me； and for
all the rest of the time he looked away。 〃We are but phantoms！〃 he
said； 〃and the phantoms of phantoms； desires like cloud…shadows and
wills of straw that eddy in the wind； the days pass； use and wont
carry us through as a train carries the shadow of its lightsso be
it！ But one thing is real and certain； one thing is no dream…
stuff； but eternal and enduring。 It is the centre of my life； and
all other things about it are subordinate or altogether vain。 I
loved her； that woman of a dream。 And she and I are dead together！
〃A dream！ How can it be a dream； when it drenched a living
life with unappeasable sorrow； when it makes all that I have lived
for and cared for； worthless and unmeaning？
〃Until that very moment when she was killed I believed we had
still a chance of getting away；〃 he said。 〃All through the night
and morning that we sailed across the sea from Capri to Salerno； we
talked of escape。 We were full of hope； and it clung about us to
the end； hope for the life together we should lead； out of it all；
out of the battle and struggle； the wild and empty passions； the
empty arbitrary 'thou shalt' and 'thou shalt not' of the world。 We
were uplifted； as though our quest was a holy thing； as though love
for another was a mission 。 。 。 。
〃Even when from our boat we saw the fair face of that great
rock Caprialready scarred and gashed by the gun emplacements and
hiding…places that were to make it a fastnesswe reckoned nothing
of the imminent slaughter； though the fury of preparation hung
about in the puffs and clouds of dust at a hundred points amidst
the gray； but； indeed； I made a text of that and talked。 There；
you know； was the rock； still beautiful for all its scars； with its
countless windows and arches and ways； tier upon tier； for a
thousand feet； a vast carving of gray； broken by vine…clad
terraces； and lemon and orange groves； and masses of agave and
prickly pear； and puffs of almond blossom。 And out under the
archway that is built over the Piccola Marina other boats were
coming； and as we came round the cape and within sight of the
mainland； another little string of boats came into view； driving
before the wind towards the south…west。 In a little while a
multitude had come out； the remoter just little specks of
ultramarine in the shadow of the eastward cliff。
〃'It is love and reason；' I said； 'fleeing from all this
madness of war。'
〃And though we presently saw a squadron of aeroplanes flying
across the southern sky we did not heed it。 There it wasa line
of little dots in the skyand then more； dotting the south…eastern
horizon； and then still more； until all that quarter of the sky was
stippled with blue specks。 Now they were all thin little strokes
of blue； and now one and now a multitude would heel and catch the
sun and become short flashes of light。 They came； rising and
falling and growing larger； like some huge flight of gulls or rooks
or such…like birds； moving with a marvellous uniformity； and ever
as they drew nearer they spread over a greater width of sky。 The
southward wind flung itself in an arrow…headed cloud athwart the
sun。 And then suddenly they swept round to the eastward and
streamed eastward； growing smaller and smaller and clearer and
clearer again until they vanished from the sky。 And after that we
noted to the northward and very high Evesham's fighting machines
hanging high over Naples like an evening swarm of gnats。
〃It seemed to have no more to do with us than a flight of
birds。
〃Even the mutter of guns far away in the south…east seemed to
us to signify nothing 。 。 。
〃Each day； each dream after that； we were still exalted； still
seeking that refuge where we might live and love。 Fatigue had come
upon us； pain and many distresses。 For though we were dusty and
stained by our toilsome tramping； and half starved and with the
horror of the dead men we had seen and the flight of the
peasantsfor very soon a gust of fighting swept up the
peninsulawith these things haunting our minds it still resulted
only in a deepening resolution to escape。 Oh； but she was brave
and patient！ She who had never faced hardship and exposure had
courage for herself and me。 We went to and fro seeking an outlet；
over a country all commandeered and ransacked by the gathering
hosts of war。 Always we went on foot。 At first there were other
fugitives； but we did not mingle with them。 Some escaped
northward； some were caught in the torrent of peasantry that swept
along the main roads； many gave themselves int