"
Anthony, seeing that Barbara had never heard the story and its ending,
did not tell it to her, but she read something of what was passing in
his mind, as very often she had the power to do.
"Dearest," she said earnestly, "I know what you think. You think that
such happiness as ours will not be allowed to last for long, that
something evil will overtake us. Well, it may be so, but if it is, at
least we shall have had the happiness, which having been, will remain
for ever, a part of you, a part of me; a temple of our love not built
with hands in which we shall offer thanks eternally, here and--beyond,"
and she nodded towards the glory of the sunset sky, then turned and
kissed him.
As it chanced, that cruel devouring sea which rages at the feet of
all mankind was destined ere long to take the offering that was most
precious to these two. Only this was flung to its waters, not by their
hands, but by that of Fate, nor did it return to them again.
After their marriage Anthony and Barbara hired a charming little
Georgian house at Chelsea near to the river. The drawback to
the dwelling was that it stood quite close to a place of public
entertainment called "The Gardens," very well known in those days as
the nightly haunt of persons who were not always as respectable as they
might have been.
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