It was a question it appears--a bona fide question! However, he didn't wait for an answer.

Before I could recover he went on, with his eyes straight before him, as if reading off something written on the body of the night.

"It is all in being ready.

I wasn't; not--not then.

I don't want to excuse myself; but I would like to explain--I would like somebody to understand--somebody--one person at least! You! Why not you ?" 'It was solemn, and a little ridiculous too, as they always are, those struggles of an individual trying to save from the fire his idea of what his moral identity should be, this precious notion of a convention, only one of the rules of the game, nothing more, but all the same so terribly effective by its assumption of unlimited power over natural instincts, by the awful penalties of its failure.