The house and furniture were to be sold; they would sail in
September.

When Desire perceived that it was settled, she gave way; she had
said little before; her mother had had many plans, and they amused
her; she would not worry her with opposition; and besides, she was
herself in a secret dream of a hope half understood.

It happened that she told it to Kenneth Kincaid herself; she saw
almost every one who came, instead of her mother; Mrs. Ledwith lived
in her own room chiefly. This was the way in which it had come
about, that nobody noticed or guessed how it was with Desire, and
what aspect Kenneth's friendship and kindness, in the simple history
of those few weeks, might dangerously grow to bear with her.

Except one person. Luclarion Grapp, at last, made up her mind.

Kenneth heard what Desire told him, as he heard all she ever had to
tell, with a gentle interest; comforted her when she said she could
not bear to go, with the suggestion that it might not be for very
long; and when she looked up in his face with a kind of strange,
pained wonder, and repeated,--

"But I cannot _bear_,--I tell you, I cannot _bear_ to go!" he
answered,--

"One can bear all that is right; and out of it the good will come
that we do not know. All times go by. I am sorry--very sorry--that
you must go; but there will be the coming back. We must all wait for
that."