“Is this your home?”
“That’s it! That’s it!” answered Lillian.
Then all uncovered their heads, and there was such silence that I heard the hissing of the fire and the sound of the burnt twigs falling on the ground; the old white-haired miner, stretching out his sinewy hands over us, said,—
“May God bless you both, and your house, Amen!”
A triple hurrah answered that blessing. All separated then, leaving me and my loved one alone.
When the last man had gone, she rested her head on my breast, whispering: “Forever! forever!” and at that moment the stars in our souls outnumbered the stars of the sky.
