’ There was a break, as if the pythoness had uttered the oracle, and now the woman went on, in a rhapsody-wearied voice: ‘And you see, Rupert isn’t this, he isn’t. He is frail in health and body, he needs great, great care. Then he is so changeable and unsure of himself — it requires the greatest patience and understanding to help him. And I don’t think you are patient. You would have to be prepared to suffer — dreadfully. I can’t TELL you how much suffering it would take to make him happy. He lives an INTENSELY spiritual life, at times — too, too wonderful. And then come the reactions. I can’t speak of what I have been through with him. We have been together so long, I really do know him, I DO know what he is. And I feel I must say it; I feel it would be perfectly DISASTROUS for you to marry him