'Why, to-morrow?—it was hardly worth while coming for so short a time.'
'I only came to see you. You know I couldn't—you know—I mean that I felt that I must see you.'
Mildred looked up, it was an affectionate glance; and she swung her parasol in a way that recalled their walks in the Green Park. They passed out of the passage into the boulevard. As they crossed the Rue Vivienne, Ralph said in his abrupt fragmentary way:
'You said you'd like to see me, I could see from your letters that you were unhappy.'
'No, I'm not unhappy—a little dull at times, that is all.'
'You wrote me some charming letters. I hope you meant all you said.'
'Did I say so much, then? I daresay I said more than I intended.'
'No, don't say that, don't say that.'
The absinthe drinkers, the green trees, the blue roofs of the great houses, all these signs of the boulevard, intruded upon and interrupted their thoughts; then the boulevard passed out of their sight and they were again conscious of nothing but each other.
'I met your brother. He was anxious about you. He wondered if you were getting on and I said that I'd go and see.'