"Yes ... yes," she answered eagerly. "And you ... you'll write to me ... every day, won't you?... That will be my only comfort ... my only...."
She choked and could not go on.
He asked her where he should address his letters, and she answered "to Breene."
"They will be forwarded to me wherever I am ... you see.... I don't know yet where I shall be ... just at first...."
Again she broke off.
They had reached the station. It was now a quarter to ten. Only fifteen minutes more and they would be parted—for how long?
But even for these fifteen minutes they could not be together. Amaldi had still to see to things—to find out whether her luggage was all on board. She watched him as he went to and fro with his light, nervous step. It was all so unreal. Even he looked unreal. She could not see his face plainly at this distance. She tried to recall it, and it frightened her when she found that she could not imagine it clearly though she had looked at it so often and so earnestly during the past hour. Would she be unable to see his face in her thought when they were really parted? Then she began to watch the station clock. Only ten minutes more now—only nine ... eight——
He came back with a fachino, who gathered up her bags, and went off towards the train with them. Seven minutes now....
She sprang to her feet.
"Let us walk together...." she said, "somewhere away from all these people...."