Hecould refuse, but not reject, Adela; he could
reject, but hecertainly could not refuse, Mrs.
But here in the mists under the trees,with this
woman, it was all clear.
First there came the creation ofnew images instead
of those of every day.
The thing could not astonishhim, nor could it be
adored.
Grantthem, grant them rest; compel them to their
rest.
It was the equivalent of her worldlyaffairs, and it
lasted little longer; in a second it had gone. The harsh phrase would have been
alien toher.
The Adam slept; the mist rose from the ground. As
he came nearer he was puzzled again, as he hadbeen by the voice.
The approach by love was the approach to fact;
tolove anything but fact was not love.
Sheclung to it, and pulled herself forward towards
Pauline. He had wanted to give himself to Adelaout of kindness.
Hemight be back again in Eden, and she be Eve, the
only man with allthat belonged to the only man.
She had heard, inold tales of magic, of the
guardian of the threshold.
Hewould have destroyed her without meaning
to.
Pauline took her to the gate, and said
good-bye.
Those who had less knowledgeor more courage might
do so. His enmity to man and heavenwas only his yearning to enter one without
loss.
Irritated at hisknowledge of his own false
strength, he flung down the rescueddesigns.
The evening and the morning were the first day, of
a few hours, ora few months, or both at once.
She set herself to crawl out of that darkened
cornertowards the light.
Those who had less knowledgeor more courage might
do so.
Wentworth knew he could sharethat pleasure.