The gardens were a paradise of flowers and beautifully laid out. There were all kinds of nooks and arbours in odd corners, and many winding paths which led to pleasant glades. The trees were magnificent, and everywhere the place bloomed with blossoms. Hench was not quite sure if he did not like the gardens even better than the charming house. And what with the colour and scent of flowers, the heat of the day, the silence of the place, and the fact that he was walking long-side the girl he loved, the young man rather lost his head. In a rash moment he quoted Omar Khayyam's verse relative to the wilderness, the wine-cup, the loaf of bread, and of course "Thou!" Gwen blushed and flushed, and threw up her hand to stop him. They were standing near a marble bench under an oak tree, and on this she sat down.
"I wish you would not speak to me like that," she said in vexed tones.
"Why not, when I love you?"
"You can't love in five minutes."
"Romeo and Juliet did."
"Ah, that is in a play. I am talking of real life. We have only known each other a very short time."
"Undoubtedly. But then our introduction made for intimacy at once."
"How unfair," murmured Gwen, looking down. "You are taking advantage of the fact that you saved my life."
"If that is any bar to my loving you, I wish I hadn't."
"Then you would have had no one to love," retorted the girl, who could not help smiling at the speech. Hench saw that smile.