Page:The Climber (Benson).djvu/127

Rh see it? Oh, it is a beautiful world, and it has all been kindled to-day. It is more vivid. Oh, Edgar, I have it now! We, you and I separate, looked at life with one eye each, as through a telescope. Now that this this has happened, we are like the two eyes of one person: what we see is solid, instead of being flat. What do they call it? Binocular! And I began to see for you, did I, when first you saw me?"

"No, not the first time," he said. "I met you in London, do you remember? Your friend Miss Eddis introduced me to you."

"But it was then that you began for me," said Lucia softly.

"I did not guess it," said he.

"Nor I, then."

The sea was very still; now and then a wavelet hissed on the sand as if it had fallen on molten gold; the wild birds of ocean wheeled round them, a red sail smouldered against the blue. And Lucia tried to feel more than she felt, and could not; but his cup of feeling was full.

There was a long silence; each was looking at the other, Lucia smiling, he very grave. Then her smile broadened into a laugh.

"We must be sensible again," she said, "sensible, I mean, in the practical sense. Oh, how prosaic it is! But please look at your watch."

"It doesn't tell the time any more," he said. "It is now. There is no more than that."

Lucia leaned towards him, and pulled it out of his waistcoat pocket.

"Oh, it is now," she said. "I know that, do I not? But what particular bit of now is it? Ah, it is five o'clock—now. You will just have time to let me give you some tea before"

"Before what?" he asked. "Who cares?"

Lucia sighed.

"It is very tiresome being sensible," she said; "but hadn't we better let it be tiresome? Besides, I—I want to do something for you"

"When you have done all?"

"Yes, I want to boil some water for you, and give you some tea. I do really. How silly of me, as if it mattered!"

"Nothing matters so much as what you want," he said.

"Then I want you to get up, and take my hands in yours, and pull me to my feet. Oh, Edgar, this full happy beach! It was so empty!"

"But I never saw it without you," he said.