Earlyoneevening, strugglingwithasonnetthattwistedallawrythebeautyandthoughtthattrailedinglowandvaporthroughhisbrain, Martinwascalledtothetelephone.

"It'salady'svoice, afinelady's," , whohadcalledhim, jeered.

Martinwenttothetelephoneinthecorneroftheroom, andfeltawaveofwarmthrushthroughhimasheheardRuth', !—delicateandsweet, likeastrainofmusicheardfaroffandfaint, or, better, likeabellofsilver, aperfecttone, , , soravishedwashe, thoughhecontrolledhisface, 'sferreteyeswerefixeduponhim.

ItwasnotmuchthatRuthwantedtosay—merelythatNormanhadbeengoingtotakehertoalecturethatnight, butthathehadaheadache, andshewassodisappointed, andshehadthetickets, andthatifhehadnootherengagement, wouldhebegoodenoughtotakeher?

Wouldhe! , stillatthetelephoneandtalkingwithher, hefeltanoverpoweringdesiretodieforher, , soterribly, , gotoalecturewithhim—withhim, MartinEden—, anditcametohimthere, atthetelephone, inawhirlwindoffireandglory; andtodieforher, hefelt, -one, andhehadneverbeeninlovebefore.

Hishandtrembledashehungupthereceiver, 's, andhisfacewastransfigured, purgedofallearthlydross, andpureandholy.

"Makin' datesoutside, eh?" hisbrother-in-lawsneered."'llbeinthepolicecourtyet."

, , andthoughhiseyespassedoverhim, hedidnotseehim; , whichsomehowhadnotpenetratedtohisbrainbefore.