Chapter 25

           Oncemoreontheboat,andinthepresenceofothers,Archerfeltatranquillityofspiritthatsurprisedasmuchasitsustainedhim.Theday,accordingtoanycurrentvaluation,hadbeenaratherridiculousfailure;hehadnotsomuchastouchedMadameOlenska’shandwithhislips,orextractedonewordfromherthatgavepromiseoffartheropportunities.Nevertheless,foramansickwithunsatisfiedlove,andpartingforanindefiniteperiodfromtheobjectofhispassion,hefelthimselfalmosthumiliatinglycalmandcomforted.Itwastheperfectbalanceshehadheldbetweentheirloyaltytoothersandtheirhonestytothemselvesthathadsostirredandyettranquillizedhim;abalancenotartfullycalculated,ashertearsandherfalteringsshowed,butresultingnaturallyfromherunabashedsincerity.Itfilledhimwithatenderawe,nowthedangerwasover,andmadehimthankthefatesthatnopersonalvanity,nosenseofplayingapartbeforesophisticatedwitnesses,hadtemptedhimtotempther.Evenaftertheyhadclaspedhandsforgood-byeattheFallRiverstation,andhehadturnedawayalone,theconvictionremainedwithhimofhavingsavedoutoftheirmeetingmuchmorethanhehadsacrificed.Hewanderedbacktotheclub,andwentandsataloneinthedesertedlibrary,turningandturningoverinhisthoughtseveryseparatesecondoftheirhourstogether.Itwascleartohim,anditgrewmoreclearundercloserscrutiny,thatifsheshouldfinallydecideonreturningtoEurope—returningtoherhusband—itwouldnotbebecauseheroldlifetemptedher,evenonthenewtermsoffered.