The Man in Possession — page 271: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

266 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. ‘‘and I have so muchto say. ButI think you un- derstand. ... Just answer me one question. Did you feel—to-night—that those empty years were over?” ‘‘T felt,” she said, ‘‘that they were—atoned for. Is that sufficient answer ? ” ‘¢ More than sufficient. .. . Will those people never go?... Annette, shut that book.... Look at me.” She lifted her lovely eyes, all wet with tears, to the bronzed and soldierly visage that, for her, was the representation of all things noble and good in man. ‘‘Beggars should be humble,” he said. ‘‘I am very humble. I have so much to ask that I scarce dare ask it.” She glanced quickly round. The group had broken up. The last skirt and the last coat-tail were disappearing through the doorway. Then she held out both her hands, the colour rushed over her face, and through her tears he saw a smile break with April brightness. ‘‘Have you so much to ask?” she said softly. ‘More than I have to give?” He clasped the little hands to his breast, looking down with worshipping adoration at the beautiful uplifted face. ‘“‘Let us say good-bye, then, to the empty years,” he whispered. It was a very long and a very tender good-bye. Surely longer and more tender than they deserved, if they had been as cold and unsatisfactory as these two friends would have made them themselves believe, COMicloe (Sri C(O)