Thismanunderstoodthingsliterally:onemustlivewithoutpleasuretodiewithoutfear；tosavethesoul，itwasnecessarytostarvethesoul。
ThesunhunglowabovethecornfieldswhenMargaretandhercavalierleftSt。Anne。SouthofthetownthereisastretchofroadthatrunsforsomethreemilesthroughtheFrenchsettlement，wheretheprairieisaslevelasthesurfaceofalake。Therethefieldsofflaxandwheatandryeareborderedbypreciserowsofslender，taperingLombardpoplars。ItwasayellowworldthatMargaretElliotsawunderthewidelightofthesettingsun。
ThegirlgatheredupherreinsandcalledbacktoEric，“Itwillbesafetorunthehorseshere，won’tit？“
“Yes，Ithinkso，now，“heanswered，touchinghisspurtohispony’sflank。Theywereofflikethewind。ItisanoldsayingintheWestthatnewcomersalwaysrideahorseortwotodeathbeforetheygetbrokenintothecountry。Theyaretemptedbythegreatopenspacesandtrytooutridethehorizon，togettotheendofsomething。Margaretgallopedoverthelevelroad，andEric，frombehind，sawherlongveilflutteringinthewind。Ithadflutteredjustsoinhisdreamslastnightandthenightbefore。Withasuddeninspirationofcourageheovertookherandrodebesideher，lookingintentlyatherhalf-avertedface。
Before，hehadonlystolenoccasionalglancesatit，seenitinblindingflashes，alwayswithmoreorlessembarrassment，butnowhedeterminedtoleteverylineofitsinkintohismemory。Menoftheworldwouldhavesaidthatitwasanunusualface，nervous，finelycut，withclear，elegantlinesthatbetokenedancestry。Menofletterswouldhavecalleditahistoricface，andwouldhaveconjecturedatwhatoldpassions，longasleep，whatoldsorrowsforgottentimeoutofmind，doingbattletogetherinagesgone，hadcurvedthosedelicatenostrils，lefttheirunconsciousmemoryinthoseeyes。ButEricreadnomeaninginthesedetails。Tohimthisbeautywassomethingmorethancolourandline；itwasaflashofwhitelight，inwhichonecannotdistinguishcolourbecauseallcoloursarethere。Tohimitwasacompleterevelation，anembodimentofthosedreamsofimpossiblelovelinessthatlingerbyayoungman’spillowonmidsummernights；yet，becauseitheldsomethingmorethantheattractionofhealthandyouthandshapeliness，ittroubledhim，andinitspresencehefeltastheGothsbeforethewhitemarblesintheRomanCapitol，notknowingwhethertheyweremenorgods。Attimeshefeltlikeuncoveringhisheadbeforeit，againthefuryseizedhimtobreakanddespoil，tofindtheclayinthisspirit-thingandstampuponit。Awayfromher，helongedtostrikeoutwithhisarms，andtakeandhold；itmaddenedhimthatthiswomanwhomhecouldbreakinhishandsshouldbesomuchstrongerthanhe。Butnearher，heneverquestionedthisstrength；headmitteditspotentialityasheadmittedthemiraclesoftheBible；itenervatedandconqueredhim。