"My dear!" And he did not kiss her, for fear she should be cold and strange to him.
It eased him she slept so beautifully.

He shut her door softly, not to wake her, and went to bed.
In the morning Morel summoned his courage, hearing Annie downstairs and Paul coughing in the room across the landing.

He opened her door, and went into the darkened room.

He saw the white uplifted form in the twilight, but her he dared not see.

Bewildered, too frightened to possess any of his faculties, he got out of the room again and left her.
He never looked at her again.