I owed you that--after my mistake."
He caught up the last word. "You've admitted to yourself, then, that it
was a mistake?"
"I played the game," she retorted. "One can't always play right. But one
can always play fair."
"Yes; I know your creed of sportsmanship. There are worse religions."
"Do you think I played fair with you, Ban? After that night on the
river?"
He was mute.
"Do you know why I didn't kiss you good-bye in the station? Not really
kiss you, I mean, as I did on the island?"
"No."
"Because, if I had, I should never have had the strength to go away."
She lifted her eyes to his. Her voice fell to a half whisper. "You
understood, on the island?... What I meant?"
"Yes."
"But you didn't take me. I wonder. Ban, if it hadn't been for the light
flashing in our eyes and giving us hope...?"
"How can I tell? I was dazed with the amazement and the glory of it--of
you. But--yes. My God, yes! And then? Afterward?"
"Could there have been any afterward?" she questioned dreamily. "Would
we not just have waited for the river to sweep us up and carry us away?
What other ending could there have been, so fitting?"
"Anyway," he said with a sudden savage jealousy, "whatever happened you
would not have gone away to marry Eyre.
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