‘No,’ she said, pondering. ‘You are just egocentric. You never have any enthusiasm, you never come out with any spark towards me. You want yourself, really, and your own affairs. And you want me just to be there, to serve you.’

But this only made him shut off from her.

‘Ah well,’ he said, ‘words make no matter, any way. The thing IS between us, or it isn’t.’

‘You don’t even love me,’ she cried.

‘I do,’ he said angrily. ‘But I want — ’ His mind saw again the lovely golden light of spring transfused through her eyes, as through some wonderful window. And he wanted her to be with him there, in this world of proud