Reluctantly he gave the truth in naked simplicity.
'I did desire to see the colour of your eyes.'
She hid them, and broke into charming, genuine laughter.
'Do you know yet?' she said.
'No, for they are set overdeep for a woman, and the lashes shadow so.'
'Come nearer, then, and look.'
He stepped straight into the pool knee-deep and deeper, and with three strides stood below. She bent her head towards him with her arms upon her knee, propping it that a hand might cover irrepressible smiles. Her beautiful eyes she opened wide for the frank grey eyes to consider. Many a breath rose and fell, and neither offered to relinquish the intimate close.
Beautiful eyes indeed! with that dark, indescribable vert iris that has the transparent depth of shadowed sea-water. They were bright with happy mirth; they were sweetly serious; they were intent on a deep inquiry into his; they were brimming wells not to be fathomed; oh, what more? what haunted their vague, sad, gracious mystery?
'Are you satisfied yet of their colour?' she asked quietly, bringing him to a sense of the licence he indulged.
'Of their colour—yes.'