he began adjusting the "level" telescope to his eye.

With his back planted firmly against the tower, he studied a wide
section of the dead and buried world so very far below them. With
astonishment he cried:

"It _is_ true, Beatrice! Everything's swept clean away. Nothing left,
nothing at all--no signs of life!

"As far as I can reach with these lenses, universal ruin. We're all
alone in this whole world, just you and I--and everything belongs to
us!"

"Everything--all ours?"

"Everything! Even the future--the future of the human race!"

Suddenly he felt her tremble at his side. Down at her he looked, a
great new tenderness possessing him. He saw that tears were forming in
her eyes.

Beatrice pressed both hands to her face and bowed her head. Filled
with strange emotions, the man watched her for a moment.

Then in silence, realizing the uselessness of any words, knowing that
in this monstrous Ragnarok of all humanity no ordinary relations of
life could bear either cogency or meaning, he took her in his arms.

And there alone with her, far above the ruined world, high in the pure
air of mid-heaven, he comforted the girl with words till then