Even to fail hopelessly
would be Great. Sometimes ..."
She hesitated. He looked expectation. "I think sometimes it is greater
even to fail than to succeed."
"I don't see that," said the proposed Luther, and his eyes went back
to the Moses. She was about to speak, and changed her mind.
Contemplative pause.
"And then, when a great number of people have heard of your views?"
she said presently.
"Then I suppose we must form a party and ... bring things about."
Another pause--full, no doubt, of elevated thoughts.
"I say," said Lewisham quite suddenly. "You do put--well--courage into
a chap. I shouldn't have done that Socialism paper if it hadn't been
for you." He turned round and stood leaning with his back to the
Moses, and smiling at her. "You do help a fellow," he said.
That was one of the vivid moments of Miss Heydinger's life. She
changed colour a little. "Do I?" she said, standing straight and
awkward and looking into his face, "I'm ... glad."
"I haven't thanked you for your letters," said Lewisham, "And I've
been thinking ..."
"Yes?"
"We're first-rate friends, aren't we? The best of friends."
She held out her hand and drew a breath. "Yes," she said as they
gripped. He hesitated whether to hold her hand. He looked into her
eyes, and at that moment she would have given three-quarters of the
years she had still to live, to have had eyes and features that could
have expressed her.
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