She lifted her eyes to his for one moment—then moved silently away, and vanished in the gloom of the room beyond.
We saw her no more. We lingered awhile looking over the contents of the jewel-cases; but in vain. Then Turnour bought his bracelet, and we went out again into the narrow streets, and back to the open daylight of the Gran' Piazza.
"Well," he said breathlessly, "what do you think of her?"
"She is very lovely."
"Lovelier than you expected?"
"Much lovelier. But—"
"But what?"
"The sooner you succeed in forgetting her the better."
He vowed, of course, that he never would and never could forget her. He would hear of no incompatibilities, listen to no objections, believe in no obstacles. That the beautiful Salome was herself not only unconscious of his passion and indifferent to his person, but ignorant of his very name and station, were facts not even to be admitted on the list of difficulties. Finding him thus deaf to reason, I said no more.
It was all over, however, before the week was out.