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           Heclosedhiseyes.

           "I’msohappythatI’mfrightened.Wouldn’titbeawfulifthiswas—wasthehighpoint?..."

           Shelookedathimdreamily.

           "Beautyandlovepass,Iknow....Oh,there’ssadness,too.Isupposeallgreathappinessisalittlesad.Beautymeansthescentofrosesandthenthedeathofroses—"

           "Beautymeanstheagonyofsacrificeandtheendofagony...."

           "And,Amory,we’rebeautiful,Iknow.I’msureGodlovesus—"

           "Helovesyou.You’rehismostpreciouspossession."

           "I’mnothis,I’myours.Amory,Ibelongtoyou.ForthefirsttimeIregretalltheotherkisses;nowIknowhowmuchakisscanmean."

           Thentheywouldsmokeandhewouldtellherabouthisdayattheoffice—andwheretheymightlive.Sometimes,whenhewasparticularlyloquacious,shewenttosleepinhisarms,buthelovedthatRosalind—allRosalinds—ashehadneverintheworldlovedanyoneelse.Intangiblyfleeting,unrememberablehours.

           AQUATICINCIDENT

           OnedayAmoryandHowardGillespiemeetingbyaccidentdown-towntooklunchtogether,andAmoryheardastorythatdelightedhim.Gillespieafterseveralcocktailswasinatalkativemood;hebeganbytellingAmorythathewassureRosalindwasslightlyeccentric.

           HehadgonewithheronaswimmingpartyupinWestchesterCounty,andsomeonementionedthatAnnetteKellermanhadbeenthereonedayonavisitandhaddivedfromthetopofarickety,thirty-footsummer-house.ImmediatelyRosalindinsistedthatHowardshouldclimbupwithhertoseewhatitlookedlike.