“What’s the matter?” he asked, gently.
He could hardly believe his ears.
“What!” he cried, startled.
And she repeated her amazing phrase.
“You’ve cheated me,” she sobbed.
“But how?” he demand. “In what way? What do you mean?”
He had to sit down beside her again to hear her words.
“I wanted you ... to be ... dear ... and loving,” she sobbed.
“To be dear and loving,” he repeated, in astonishment.
And suddenly she stretched out her arms toward him. He faltered, for an instant, and then he caught her tightly in a compassionate embrace. He was so sorry for the weeping and sorrowful woman. She strained herself close against him, with her arms about his neck, still sobbing a little, her soft hair brushed against his face.... His compassion began to go, began to merge into a passionate tenderness. He kissed her with delight, with rapture, this sweet and mysterious woman.... He drew her head down on his breast, and looked at her in the strained, thin light high overhead. He lost himself in the radiance of her eyes, the curves of her patient and tender mouth; he kissed her again, and was startled at the texture of her skin. Her hair was like a misty halo about her face; her eyes met his with a look which he could not comprehend, but which thrilled him beyond measure.... He had here the answer to all his miserable perplexity. Never once during all the time he had known her had he held her like this. He hadn’t even had the sense to realise that he wished to do so. And not knowing this, he had known nothing. This ecstasy was the reason, was the very core and heart of the situation.