"Yes, just this moment." All at once she felt herself to be in his power; he might have questioned her about anything in the world and she would have answered, with those eyes of his looking at her like that.
"When I saw you were no longer with the rest of the party, I knew you had gone back to Ole."
"Yes."
He stopped speaking, his voice shook: "I behaved badly; I suppose now you are engaged?"
There was a pause, but her answer gleamed forth directly in her eyes. "I think so," she said.
Lovingly, yet full of grief, he gazed at her. She felt the greatest desire to cry aloud. Had she done wrong? She was dreadfully alarmed. Then he took her head between both his hands, and bending down, kissed her on the forehead. She burst into tears and clasped her arms tightly round his neck; they lay thus cheek against cheek.
"Well, well--if it is settled, then--I congratulate you, Josephine, dear Josephine." They pressed closer to each other, then they parted.
"I leave to-day," whispered he, taking hold of her hand; she gave them both to him.
"To-day, Edward?"
"I have behaved stupidly. Good-by, Josephine."