marvellous.... Naturally, I believe in immortality. If I didn't, the
thing wouldn't be worth doing. Oh! I should hate to be extinguished.
But to change one existence for another, if the fancy takes you--that
seems to me the greatest proof of real independence that anybody
can give. It's tremendous. You're playing chess with fate and fate's
winning, and you knock up the chess-board and fate has to begin all
over again! Can't you see how tremendous it is--and how tempting it
is? The temptation is terrific."

"I can see all that," said G.J. He was surprised by a sudden sense
of esteem for the mighty volition hidden behind those calm, worn,
gracious features. But Concepcion's body was younger than her face.
He perceived, as it were for the first time, that Concepcion was
immeasurably younger than himself; and yet she had passed far beyond
him in experience. "But what's the origin of all this? What do you
want to do it for? What's happened?"

"Then you believe I mean to do it?"

"Yes," he replied sincerely, and as naturally as he could.

"That's the tone I like to hear," said she, smiling. "I felt sure
I could count on you not to indulge in too much nonsense. Well, I'm
going to try the next avatar just to remind fate of my existence. I
think fate's forgotten me, and I can stand anything but that. I've
lost Carly, and I've lost Queen.... Oh, G.J.! Isn't it awful to think
that when I offered you Queen she'd already gone, and it was only
her dead body I was offering you? ... And I've lost my love. And I've
failed, and I shall never be any more good here. I swore I would see a
certain thing through, and I haven't seen it through, and I can't! But