Andsheboremanychildren。For，astimewenton，sheneveropposedherhusbandinwordordeed。Shetooknonoticeofhim，externally。Shesubmittedtohim，lethimtakewhathewantedanddoashewantedwithher。Shewaslikeahawkthatsullenlysubmitstoeverything。Therelationbetweenherandherhusbandwaswordlessandunknown，butitwasdeep，awful，arelationofutterinter—destruction。Andhe，whotriumphedintheworld，hebecamemoreandmorehollowinhisvitality，thevitalitywasbledfromwithinhim，asbysomehaemorrhage。Shewashulkedlikeahawkinacage，butherheartwasfierceandundiminishedwithinher，thoughhermindwasdestroyed。
Sotothelasthewouldgotoherandholdherinhisarmssometimes，beforehisstrengthwasallgone。Theterriblewhite，destructivelightthatburnedinhereyesonlyexcitedandrousedhim。Tillhewasbledtodeath，andthenhedreadedhermorethananything。Buthealwayssaidtohimself，howhappyhehadbeen，howhehadlovedherwithapureandconsumingloveeversincehehadknownher。Andhethoughtofheraspure，chaste;
thewhiteflamewhichwasknowntohimalone，theflameofhersex，wasawhiteflowerofsnowtohismind。Shewasawonderfulwhitesnow—flower，whichhehaddesiredinfinitely。Andnowhewasdyingwithallhisideasandinterpretationsintact。Theywouldonlycollapsewhenthebreathlefthisbody。Tillthentheywouldbepuretruthsforhim。Onlydeathwouldshowtheperfectcompletenessofthelie。Tilldeath，shewashiswhitesnow—flower。Hehadsubduedher，andhersubjugationwastohimaninfinitechastityinher，avirginitywhichhecouldneverbreak，andwhichdominatedhimasbyaspell。
Shehadletgotheouterworld，butwithinherselfshewasunbrokenandunimpaired。Sheonlysatinherroomlikeamoping，dishevelledhawk，motionless，mindless。Herchildren，forwhomshehadbeensofierceinheryouth，nowmeantscarcelyanythingtoher。Shehadlostallthat，shewasquitebyherself。OnlyGerald，thegleaming，hadsomeexistenceforher。Butoflateyears，sincehehadbecomeheadofthebusiness，hetoowasforgotten。Whereasthefather，nowhewasdying，turnedforcompassiontoGerald。Therehadalwaysbeenoppositionbetweenthetwoofthem。Geraldhadfearedanddespisedhisfather，andtoagreatextenthadavoidedhimallthroughboyhoodandyoungmanhood。Andthefatherhadfeltveryoftenarealdislikeofhiseldestson，which，neverwantingtogivewayto，hehadrefusedtoacknowledge。HehadignoredGeraldasmuchaspossible，leavinghimalone。
Since，however，Geraldhadcomehomeandassumedresponsibilityinthefirm，andhadprovedsuchawonderfuldirector，thefather，tiredandwearyofalloutsideconcerns，hadputallhistrustofthesethingsinhisson，implicitly，leavingeverythingtohim，andassumingarathertouchingdependenceontheyoungenemy。ThisimmediatelyrousedapoignantpityandallegianceinGerald\'sheart，alwaysshadowedbycontemptandbyunadmittedenmity。