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 it beyond all shadow of doubt, and without delay. After that first kiss in the dark outside the little front room, Roger told Sheilah all there was to tell about himself during the years before she knew him, and asked her to ask him all there was to ask, which is more convincing to a woman than any declaration.

She alone of all women he crowned with the honor of his confidences, keeping no secrets from her, nothing hidden, gradually opening all the sealed jars of his past, and pouring the ashes, sacred and otherwise, of all his deeds, good and bad, into her hands, into her keeping. She, thus persuaded, thus convinced, likewise opened her sealed jars, poured out the ashes of her past deeds, of her past hopes, disappointments and suppressions, into Roger's hands, into Roger's keeping.

They approached nearer absolute honesty with each other than is often reached by two human beings. Because they must constantly starve the flame of love between them, they added fuel all the more extravagantly to the fire which was allowed, and for a little while their spirits became molten into one over the white coals of truth. Oh, if they only hadn't possessed bodies.