, and the whiteness of my skin, and then tell me truly, hast
thou ever known a woman who in aught, ay, in one little portion of
her beauty, in the curve of an eyelash even, or the modelling of a
shell-like ear, is justified to hold a light before my loveliness? Now,
my waist! Perchance thou thinkest it too large, but of a truth it is not
so; it is this golden snake that is too large, and doth not bind it as
it should. It is a wide snake, and knoweth that it is ill to tie in
the waist. But see, give me thy hands--so--now press them round me, and
there, with but a little force, thy fingers touch, oh Holly."

I could bear it no longer. I am but a man, and she was more than a
woman. Heaven knows what she was--I do not! But then and there I
fell upon my knees before her, and told her in a sad mixture of
languages--for such moments confuse the thoughts--that I worshipped her
as never woman was worshipped, and that I would give my immortal soul
to marry her, which at that time I certainly would have done, and so,
indeed, would any other man, or all the race of men rolled into one. For
a moment she looked surprised, and then she began to laugh, and clap her
hands in glee.

"Oh, so soon, oh Holly!" she said. "I wondered how many minutes it would
need to bring thee to thy knees. I have not seen a man kneel before
me for so many days, and, believe me, to a woman's heart the sight is
sweet, ay, wisdom and length of days take not from that dear pleasure
which is our sex's only right.

"What wouldst thou?--what wouldst thou? Thou dost not know what thou
doest. Have I not told thee that I am not for thee? I love but one, and
thou art not the man. Ah Holly, for all thy wisdom--and in a way thou
art wise--thou art but a fool running after folly. Thou wouldst look
into mine eyes--thou wouldst kiss me! Well, if it pleaseth thee,
_look_," and she bent herself towards me, and fixed her dark and
thrilling orbs upon my own; "ay, and _kiss_ too, if thou wilt, for,
thanks be given to the scheme of things, kisses leave no marks, except
upon the heart. But if thou dost kiss, I tell thee of a surety wilt thou
eat out thy breast with love of me, and die!" and she bent yet further
towards me till her soft hair brushed my brow, and her fragrant breath
played upon my face, and made me faint and weak. Then of a sudden, even
as I stretched out my hands to clasp, she straightened herself, and a
quick change passed over her. Reaching out her hand, she h