rushing to his head and for a
moment or two his eyes were blurred and he could not see clearly. Then
his eyes cleared and he saw that she was looking steadily at him, and he
knew that she understood what was passing in his mind. He dropped the
match on to the ash-tray and bent a little nearer to her. He would take
her in his arms, he said to himself, and hold her tightly to him....

"Won't you sit down," she said, pointing to his chair.

He straightened himself, but did not move away. His eyes were still
intent on hers, as if he could not avoid her gaze, and for a while
neither of them spoke or moved. Then she smiled at him.

"You're a funny boy," she said. "Won't you sit down!" and again she
pointed to the chair.

His answer was so low that he could hardly hear himself speak, and at
first he thought she had not heard him. "I'd better go," he said.

"Not yet," she answered. "You needn't go yet!"

"I'd better...."

She put out her hand and made him sit down.

"There's no hurry," she said.

He leant back in his chair, resting his elbows on the arms of it and
folding his fingers under his chin.

"You look frightened," she said.

"I am," he answered.

"Of me?" He nodded his head, and she laughed. "How absurd!" she said.
"I'm not a bit terrifying...."

He was not trembling now. He felt quite calm, as if he had resigned
himself to what must be.

"No, I ... I know you're not," he said, "only ..."

"Only what?"

"I don't know!"

She put her cigarette down and turned slightly towards him.

"Funny boy!" she said. "Funny Irish boy!"

He smiled foolishly at her, but did not answer. He knew that if he
spoke at all, he would say wild things that could not be withdrawn or
explained away.

"Funny scared Irish boy!" she said, and he could see the mockery in her
eyes. "Such a frightened Irish boy!..."

He could hold out no longer. She had put her hand out towards him ...
why he could not tell ... and impulsively he seized it and clasped it
tightly in his. His grasp must have hurt her, for she cried a little and
tried to withdraw her hand, but he would not let go his hold of it
until, kneeling beside her, he had put his arms about her and kissed
her.

"I love you," he said. "You know I love you...."

"Don't!"

"I loved you the minute I set eyes on you, and I wanted to meet you
again ... and then I was jealous of Gilbert because you took so much
notice of him and so little of me, and ... I love you, I love