THE CHANGE 233 



brimming for humanity, had neglected 

 every one around me. I only realised it 

 then. She had known it all the while, 

 because love was a far holier and greater 

 thing to her than it was to me. I thought 

 because I had wanted to pour out my 

 heart's blood at her feet that therefore 

 my love was not selfish, but real, divine ! 

 Ah, what did I know about love ! I 

 went to the churchyard and saw the 

 mounded grave with a simple stone at the 

 head, and it seemed to me that she was 

 near, wearing the print frock and standing 

 among the buttercups that reflected a gold 

 vapour about her, her eyes dark with a 

 shadow. The maiden eyes, the eyes soft 

 with love, and yet so sad, regarded me, 

 and so sharp was the impression of her 

 standing there that I could hear her pleading, 

 'Julien, for my sake now, Julien! ' In 

 the churchyard I stood alone, looking at 

 her, while in an orchard near the blossom 

 was shaken by the fluttering of goldfinches. 



