Page:The woman, the man, and the monster (IA womanmanmonster00dawe).pdf/185

 “Isn’t the dream a charming one?”

“So charming that I fear the awakening.”

“Then why wake? I assure you I am not going to—I absolutely refuse to be awakened. This new ideal world of ours suits me so nicely that I refuse to accept tame realities. What do you want?”

“Nothing but you.”

“And you have me.”

“You are a darling!” he said.

Her eyes shone. “Let me live for a while in that belief.”

“But you would be none the less a darling in spite of those realities.”

“But surely I am real enough? I see what it is—you are still curious, inquisitive?”

“Yes,” he admitted, “that’s it. I want to know more of the woman [I love. I thought it delightful to call you Andromeda, and to hear you call me Perseus, but all that was in a scarcely serious vein. I can’t go on calling you Andromeda now.”

“Why not? I like it; and surely you don’t expect me to call you anything but Perseus? Carey Vermont would seem to be a stranger.