"No," he answered steadily, "I was looking at you."
She thrilled as he spoke and brought her eyes to the level of his. Then she would have looked away, but his gaze held her, and she made a sudden movement of alarm—a swift tremor to escape. She held the sheaf of goldenrod to her bosom and above it her eyes shone; her breath came quickly between her parted lips. All her changeful beauty was startled into life.
"Genia!" he said softly, so softly that he seemed speaking to himself. "Genia!"
"Yes?" She responded in the same still whisper.
"You know?"
"Yes, I know," she repeated slowly. Her glance fell from his and she turned away.
"You know it is—impossible," he said.
"Yes, I know it is impossible."
There was a gasp in her voice. She turned to move onward—a briar caught her dress; she stumbled for an instant, and he flung out his arms.
"You know it is impossible," he said, and kissed her.