and I lingered in the garden until the inevitable swimming party had run up, chilled and exalted, from the black beach, until the lights were extinguished in the guest rooms overhead. When he came down the steps at last the tanned skin was drawn unusually tight on his face, and his eyes were bright and tired.

“She didn't like it,” he said immediately.

“Of course she did.”

“She didn't like it,” he insisted. “She didn't have a good time.”

He was silent and I guessed at his unutterable depression.

“I feel far away from her,” he said. “It's hard to make her understand.”

“You mean about the dance?”