|
Book I: THE COMETChapter IINETTIESection 3
I recall with a vivid precision her queer start when she heard the rustle of my approaching feet, her surprise, her eyes almost of dismay for me. I could recollect, I believe, every significant word she spoke during our meeting, and most of what I said to her. At least, it seems I could, though indeed I may deceive myself. But I will not make the attempt. We were both too ill-educated to speak our full meanings, we stamped out our feelings with clumsy stereotyped phrases; you who are better taught would fail to catch our intention. The effect would be inanity. But our first words I may give you, because though they conveyed nothing to me at the time, afterwards they meant much.
"YOU, Willie!" she said.
"I have come," I said--forgetting in the instant all the elaborate things I had intended to say. "I thought I would surprise you--"
"Surprise me?"
"Yes."
She stared at me for a moment. I can see her pretty face now as it looked at me--her impenetrable dear face. She laughed a queer little laugh and her color went for a moment, and then so soon as she had spoken, came back again.
"Surprise me at what?" she said with a rising note.
I was too intent to explain myself to think of what might lie in that.
"I wanted to tell you," I said, "that I didn`t mean quite . . . the things I put in my letter."
|
