"To me you're the most beautiful man in the world."
"You can't see me. If you saw me, you wouldn't think so."
"I can hear you. That's all I need."
Julia turned from the window and walked back to the couch. When she sat down she could feel herself trembling. Never, never in her life had she spoken to a man like that. Maybe, if she could see him, his eyes would be mocking her.
She said, "If you take me back with you, then later when I'm well I could come back with you and show you everything you would want to see. Then I could be your guide."
He was standing in front of her. She could hear him breathing again. There was excitement in his breathing; she was sure of it.
He said, "I wish I could touch you. You're very beautiful."
"Vassi, in my own time I'm ugly. Perhaps I belong in your time."
Then the excitement that was in his breathing was in his voice. "All right. All right. I'll see what I can do. You wait right here. It may take me several years to get back. But I'll do it if I can...."
"Several years! Vassi, I can't wait that long!" She was very near despair.