Chapter 24

           MysenseofhowhereceivedthissufferedforaminutefromsomethingthatIcandescribeonlyasafiercesplitofmyattention—astrokethatatfirst,asIsprangstraightup,reducedmetothemereblindmovementofgettingholdofhim,drawinghimclose,and,whileIjustfellforsupportagainstthenearestpieceoffurniture,instinctivelykeepinghimwithhisbacktothewindow.TheappearancewasfulluponusthatIhadalreadyhadtodealwithhere:PeterQuinthadcomeintoviewlikeasentinelbeforeaprison.ThenextthingIsawwasthat,fromoutside,hehadreachedthewindow,andthenIknewthat,closetotheglassandglaringinthroughit,heofferedoncemoretotheroomhiswhitefaceofdamnation.Itrepresentsbutgrosslywhattookplacewithinmeatthesighttosaythatonthesecondmydecisionwasmade;yetIbelievethatnowomansooverwhelmedeverinsoshortatimerecoveredhergraspoftheact.Itcametomeintheveryhorroroftheimmediatepresencethattheactwouldbe,seeingandfacingwhatIsawandfaced,tokeeptheboyhimselfunaware.Theinspiration—Icancallitbynoothername—wasthatIfelthowvoluntarily,howtranscendently,Imight.Itwaslikefightingwithademonforahumansoul,andwhenIhadfairlysoappraiseditIsawhowthehumansoul—heldout,inthetremorofmyhands,atarm’slength—hadaperfectdewofsweatonalovelychildishforehead.