Here he had dreamed; here he had read and studied; here he had fought out some of the poignant battles of youth.

So much of life seemed behind him.
At last he got undressed, and extinguishing the light, he crawled into bed.
The darkness was welcome, and the quiet was exquisitely soothing.

He lay there, staring into the blackness, feeling his body sink slowly as if weighted.

How cool and soft the touch of sheets! Then, the river of throbbing fire that was his blood, seemed to move again.

And the dull ache, deep in the bones, possessed his nerves.