Cameabeautifulfallday, warmandlanguid, palpitantwiththehushofthechangingseason, aCaliforniaIndiansummerday, , thatwerenotvaporsbutfabricswovenofcolor, , , barelyseeninthesilverhaze, bulkedhugelybytheGoldenGate, , thePacific, dimandvast, wasraisingonitssky-linetumbledcloud-massesthatsweptlandward, givingwarningofthefirstblusteringbreathofwinter.

, fadingandfaintingamongherhills, deepeningthepurpleofhervalleys, spinningashroudofhazefromwaningpowersandsatedraptures, , ontheirfavoriteknoll, MartinandRuthsatsidebyside, theirheadsbentoverthesamepages, hereadingaloudfromthelove-sonnetsofthewomanwhohadlovedBrowningasitisgiventofewmentobeloved.

, abeautifulandunrepentantvoluptuary, , dreamyandlanguorous, weakeningthefibresofresolution, suffusingthefaceofmorality, orofjudgment, , , andwhenwanderingphantomsofbreezestirredherhairsothatittouchedhisface, theprintedpagesswambeforehiseyes.

"Idon'tbelieveyouknowawordofwhatyouarereading," shesaidoncewhenhehadlosthisplace.

Helookedatherwithburningeyes, andwasonthevergeofbecomingawkward, whenaretortcametohislips.

"Idon'?"

"Idon'tknow," shelaughedfrankly."I''."

"Itwillbeourlastinthehillsforsometime," heannouncedgravely."There'sastormgatheringoutthereonthesea-rim."

Thebookslippedfromhishandstotheground, andtheysatidlyandsilently, , , , , —, sheknewnotforwhat, panting, withdry, burninglips, aleapingpulse, , , andwithanimpulsivemovementallherown, unpremeditated, spasmodic, , and, ashislipsapproached, hersflewtomeetthem.