inasifhewereathief,andontiptoetheyenteredthedrawing-room.
“Oh,it’ssogoodofyou,”hesaid.“Icouldn’tleaveyoulikethat.Iknewyou’dstay.”
“Whyhaveyoubeensolong?Ithoughtyouwerenevercoming.”
“Idarednotriskitbefore.IwasafraidsomethingmighthappentostopAuntPolly.”
“IsaidIhadaheadache.Idressedsothatshemightsuspectnothing.”
Thenightwasfallingandtheysattogetherinthedimness.Geraldtookherhandsandkissedthem.
“Thisweekhasbeenawful.I’veneverhadthechanceofsayingawordtoyou.Myhearthasbeenbreaking.”
“Mydearest.”
“IwonderedifyouweresorryIwasgoing.”
Shelookedathimandtriedtosmilealreadyshecouldnottrustherselftospeak.
“EverydayIthoughtyouwouldtellmetostopandyouneverdid—andnowit’stoolate.Oh,Bertha,ifyoulovedmeyouwouldn’tsendmeaway.”
“IthinkIloveyoutoomuch.Don’tyouseeit’sbetterthatweshouldpart?”
“Idaren’tthinkofto-morrow.”
“Youaresoyounginalittlewhileyou’llfallinlovewithsomeoneelse.Don’tyouseethatI’mold?”
“ButIloveyou.Oh,IwishIcouldmakeyoubelieveme.Bertha,Bertha,Ican’tleaveyou.Iloveyoutoomuch.”
“ForGod’ssakedon’ttalklikethat.It’shardenoughtobearalready—don’tmakeitharder.”
Thenighthadfallen,andthroughtheopenwindowthesummerbreezecamein,andthesoftnessoftheairwaslikeakiss.Theysatsidebysideinsilence,theboyholdingBertha’shandtheycouldnotspeak,forwordswerepowerlesstoexpresswhatwasintheirhearts.Butpresentlyastrangeintoxicationseizedthem,andthemysteryofpassionwrappedthemaboutinvisibly.BerthafeltthetremblingofGerald’shand,anditpassedtohers.Sheshudderedandtriedtowithdraw,buthewouldnotletitgo.Thesilencenowbecamesuddenlyintolerable:Berthatriedtospeak,butherthroatwasdry,andshecouldutternoword.
Aweaknesscametoherlimbsandherheartbeatpainfully.HereyecrossedwithGerald’s,andtheybothlookedinstantlyaside,asifcaughti