It was too wonderful to be anything but a delirium.

He conquered a mad desire to let go sheet and tiller and to clasp her in his arms.

His intuition told him it was the wrong thing to do, and he was glad that sheet and tiller kept his hands occupied and fended off temptation.

But he luffed the boat less delicately, spilling the wind shamelessly from the sail so as to prolong the tack to the north shore.

The shore would compel him to go about, and the contact would be broken.