‘It is a lovely night,’ she said, ‘like a night in our Indian summer in dear old Massachusetts. Let us talk in the garden, Paul.’
He walked by her side, still half saturnine, but in part conquered already by the soft seduction of her voice and face. He did not speak a word until they reached the garden terrace, and then only in answer to her question:
‘You must really go, Paul?’
‘Yes,’ he answered gloomily, ‘I must really go.’
For the season of the year it was a wonderful night even for Naples. The air was like balm, and was loaded with the scent of flowers. Lights twinkled here and there about the garden, and the moon shone broad and bright almost at the zenith, half drowning the lustre of the stars in the haze of light it spread. Scattered about the gardens were a dozen parties, more or less, all chattering gaily, and here and there disposed to frolic Their presence jarred on Paul, but there was no removing it He allowed Gertrude to lead the way, and she; strolling in pensive silence, brought him to a shaded avenue on the western side of the garden, where a gentleman and lady were promenading slowly arm-in-arm away from them. Gertrude laid a hand upon his arm, and stood still until the couple in front had strayed out of hearing, and then resumed her pensive march.
‘How came you, Paul,’ she asked, looking suddenly up to him, ‘to write so strange a letter?’
‘I had to write it,’ Paul answered in a constricted voice, in which a certain note of anger sounded. It disturbed him to find that his resolve was melting away from him, and he felt that he must needs harden his heart if be were but partly to fulfil his purpose. ‘What is there in the letter,’ he asked therefore, ‘which you find strange?
‘You have never told me,’ she responded, ‘one word of your purpose until this afternoon, and you are leaving me tomorrow. Is not that a little strange, Paul?’
Her voice trembled and almost broke upon his name.
‘I knew nothing of it myself until yesterday,’ he answered ‘I have had letters of the most urgent importance, and must answer them in person.’