Even now the thought of you bursting into a room filled with plans and hope brings joy to my heart. I was born a melancholy man. As a child I knew great loneliness, and I've always lived with an awareness of the sadness and the sorrow of this world. Perhaps that's why I retreated to the past and chose a life where I could dwell on the beauty and the permanence of ideas, objects, and be untouched by the mutability and pain of human emotions. I know now that I was wrong to turn my back on the present. For you have shown me how exhilarating it can be. You are my teacher, my catalyst, my guardian angel. You have taught me the simplicity of love. I used to marvel at how natural the art of living was for you, Nola. It's always been so difficult for me. But I was beginning to learn. I have seen the world through your eyes, and I truly believe that tomorrow can be better than today, for all the pain in the world is worth enduring when you can share the incredible sweetness of the woman you adore. Thank you, Nola. Thank you for teaching me to love.

Silas is dying, but I would save him if I could. In spite of all the sorrow he has caused, I can only feel pity for him. He was a sad man with a wasted life. For him there was no Nola, no Anastasia, no world of love. I am fortunate, my darling, for even now I am happy. Knowing I have your love, how could I be otherwise?

This is the end, my darling Nola, and still there is so much that I must say to you, so many things I want you to know, so many memories I want you to preserve. Our first kiss, when was it? It seems years ago, back before the start of time, when life seemed endless. And now, there is no time. No time to tell you how I feel, no time to tell you what we could have done. The children - our children - they would have been so strong, so happy. And we would have loved them, Nola. Just as I love you. Dearest Nola, I do love you. I've always loved...