And Jack understood that she was helpless and that he must say nothing. She stood so for a long moment, not trusting herself to move or speak. Then, uncovering her face, she showed him strange eyes from which the tears had been crushed back.
"And—I can do nothing?—" he said at last, on the lowest breath, as they walked on.
"Nothing, dear Jack."
"When you are suffering like that!"
"I have no right to such suffering. I must hide it. Help me to hide it, Jack. Do I look fairly decent?" She turned her face to him, with, he thought, the most valorous smile he had ever seen.
Only a thin screen of leaves was between them and the open.
"You look—beautiful," said Jack. She smiled on, as though that satisfied her, and he added, "Can I know nothing?—See nothing?"
"I think already," said Valerie, "that you see more than I ever meant any one to see."
"I?—I see nothing, now," he almost moaned.
"You shall. I'll talk to you later."