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along the main roads； many gave themselves into the hands of the
soldiery and were sent northward。 Many of the men were impressed。
But we kept away from these things； we had brought no money to
bribe a passage north； and I feared for my lady at the hands of
these conscript crowds。 We had landed at Salerno； and we had been
turned back from Cava； and we had tried to cross towards Taranto by
a pass over Mount Alburno； but we had been driven back for want of
food； and so we had come down among the marshes by Paestum； where
those great temples stand alone。 I had some vague idea that by
Paestum it might be possible to find a boat or something； and take
once more to sea。 And there it was the battle overtook us。
〃A sort of soul…blindness had me。 Plainly I could see that we
were being hemmed in； that the great net of that giant Warfare had
us in its toils。 Many times we had seen the levies that had come
down from the north going to and fro； and had come upon them in the
distance amidst the mountains making ways for the ammunition and
preparing the mounting of the guns。 Once we fancied they had fired
at us； taking us for spiesat any rate a shot had gone shuddering
over us。 Several times we had hidden in woods from hovering
aeroplanes。
〃But all these things do not matter now； these nights of
flight and pain 。 。 。 We were in an open place near those great
temples at Paestum； at last； on a blank stony place dotted with
spiky bushes； empty and desolate and so flat that a grove of
eucalyptus far away showed to the feet of its stems。 How I can see
it！ My lady was sitting down under a bush resting a little； for
she was very weak and weary； and I was standing up watching to see
if I could tell the distance of the firing that came and went。
They were still； you know； fighting far from each other； with those
terrible new weapons that had never before been used： guns that
would carry beyond sight； and aeroplanes that would doWhat they
would do no man could foretell。
〃I knew that we were between the two armies； and that they
drew together。 I knew we were in danger； and that we could not
stop there and rest！
〃Though all these things were in my mind； they were in the
background。 They seemed to be affairs beyond our concern。
Chiefly； I was thinking of my lady。 An aching distress filled me。
For the first time she had owned herself beaten and had fallen
a…weeping。 Behind me I could hear her sobbing； but I would not
turn round to her because I knew she had need of weeping； and had
held herself so far and so long for me。 It was well； I thought；
that she would weep and rest and then we would toil on again； for
I had no inkling of the thing that hung so near。 Even now I can
see her as she sat there； her lovely hair upon her shoulder； can
mark again the deepening hollow of her cheek。
〃'If we had parted；' she said； 'if I had let you go。'
〃'No；' said I。' Even now； I do not repent。 I will not repent；
I made my choice； and I will hold on to the end。'
〃And then
〃Overhead in the sky flashed something and burst； and all
about us I heard the bullets making a noise like a handful of peas
suddenly thrown。 They chipped the stones about us； and whirled
fragments from the bricks and passed 。 。 。 。〃
He put his hand to his mouth； and then moistened his lips。
〃At the flash I had turned about 。 。 。
〃You knowshe stood up
〃She stood up； you know； and moved a step towards meas
though she wanted to reach me
〃And she had been shot through the heart。〃
He stopped and stared at me。 I felt all that foolish
incapacity an Englishman feels on such occasions。 I met his eyes
for a moment； and then stared out of the window。 For a long space
we kept silence。 When at last I looked at him he was sitting back
in his corner； his arms folded； and his teeth gnawing at his
knuckles。
He bit his nail suddenly； and stared at it。
〃I carried her；〃 he said； 〃towards the temples； in my armsas
though it mattered。 I don't know why。 They seemed a sort of
sanctuary； you know； they had lasted so long； I suppose。
〃She must have died almost instantly。 OnlyI talked to her
all the way。〃
Silence again。
〃I have seen those temples；〃 I said abruptly； and indeed he
had brought those still； sunlit arcades of worn sandstone very
vividly before me。
〃It was the brown one； the big brown one。 I sat down on a
fallen pillar and held her in my arms 。 。 。 Silent after the first
babble was over。 And after a little while the lizards came out and
ran about again； as though nothing unusual was going on； as though
nothing had changed 。 。 。 It was tremendously still there； the sun
high and the shadows still； even the shadows of the weeds upon the
entablature were stillin spite of the thudding and banging that
went all about the sky。
〃I seem to remember that the aeroplanes came up out of the
south； and that the battle went away to the west。 One aeroplane
was struck； and overset and fell。 I remember thatthough it
didn't interest me in the least。 It didn't seem to signify。 It
was like a wounded gull； you knowflapping for a time in the
water。 I could see it down the aisle of the templea black thing
in the bright blue water。
〃Three or four times shells burst about the beach； and then
that ceased。 Each time that happened all the lizards scuttled in
and hid for a space。 That was all the mischief done； except that
once a stray bullet gashed the stone hard bymade just a fresh
bright surface。
〃As the shadows grew longer； the stillness seemed greater。
〃The curious thing；〃 he remarked； with the manner of a man who
makes a trivial conversation； 〃is that I didn't THINKat
all。 I sat with her in my arms amidst the stonesin a sort of
lethargystagnant。
〃And I don't remember waking up。 I don't remember dressing
that day。 I know I found myself in my office； with my letters all
slit open in front of me； and how I was struck by the absurdity of
being there； seeing that in reality I was sitting； stunned； in that
Paestum Temple with a dead woman in my arms。 I read my letters
like a machine。 I have forgotten what they were about。〃
He stopped； and there was a long silence。
Suddenly I perceived that we were running down the incline
from Chalk Farm to Euston。 I started at this passing of time。 I
turned on him with a brutal question； with the tone of 〃Now or
never。〃
〃And did you dream again？〃
〃Yes。〃
He seemed to force himself to finish。 His voice was very low。
〃Once more； and as it were only for a few instants。 I seemed
to have suddenly awakened out of a great apathy； to have risen into
a sitting position； and the body lay there on the stones beside me。
A gaunt body。 Not her； you know。 So soonit was not her 。 。 。 。
〃I may have heard voices。 I do not know。 Only I knew clearly
that men were coming into the solitude and that that was a last
outrage。
〃I stood up and walked through the temple； and then there came
into sightfirst one man with a yellow face； dressed in a uniform
of dirty white； trimmed with blue； and then several； climbing to
the crest of the old wall of the vanished city； and crouching
there。 They were little bright figures in the sunlight； and there
they hung； weapon in hand； peering cautiously before them。
〃And further away I saw others and then more at another point
in the wall。 It was a long lax line of men in open order。
〃Presently the man I had first seen stood up and shouted a
command； and his men came tumbling down the wall and into the high
weeds towards the temple。 He scrambled down with them and led
them。 He came facing towards me； and when he saw me he stopped。
〃At first I had watched these men with a mere curiosity； but
when I had seen they meant to come to the temple I was moved to
forbid them。 I shouted to the officer。
〃'You must not come here；' I cried； '_I_ am here。 I am
here with my dead。'
〃He stared； and then shouted a question back to me in some
unknown tongue。
〃I repeated what I had said。
〃He shouted again； and I folded my arms and stood still。
Presently he spoke to his men and came forward。 He carried a drawn
sword。
〃I signed to him to keep away； but he continued to advance。
I told him again very patiently and clearly： 'You must not come
here。 These are old temples and I am here with my dead。'
〃Presently he was so close I could see his face clearly。 It
was a narrow face； with dull gray eyes； and a black moustache。 He
had a scar on his upper lip； and he was dirty and unshaven。 He
kept shouting unintelligible things； questions； perhaps； at me。
〃I know now that he was afraid of me； but at the time that did
not occur to me。 As I tried to explain to him； he interrupted me
in imperious tones； bidding me； I suppose； stand aside。
〃He made to go p