Part 10

“To think,” he cried, “you are ten years younger than I!... There are

times when you make me feel a little thing at your feet--a young, silly,

protected thing. Do you know, Ann Veronica, it is all a lie about your

birth certificate; a forgery--and fooling at that. You are one of the

Immortals. Immortal! You were in the beginning, and all the men in the

world who have known what love is have worshipped at your feet. You have

converted me to--Lester Ward! You are my dear friend, you are a slip of

a girl, but there are moments when my head has been on your breast, when

your heart has been beating close to my ears, when I have known you for

the goddess, when I have wished myself your slave, when I have wished

that you could kill me for the joy of being killed by you. You are the

High Priestess of Life....”

“Your priestess,” whispered Ann Veronica, softly. “A silly little

priestess who knew nothing of life at all until she came to you.”