"How could you ...." she began.
"I know ... I know all...."
"Your face seems familiar to me, somehow,"—she continued:—"but no ...."
"No, I am a stranger to you."
"Then what is it that you want?"
"I know that also,"—I persisted.
I understood very well that I must take advantage of the excellent beginning to go further, that my repetitions of "I know all, I know," were becoming ridiculous—but my agitation was so great, that unexpected meeting had thrown me into such confusion, I had lost my self-control to such a degree that I positively was unable to say anything else. Moreover, I really knew nothing more. I felt conscious that I was talking nonsense, felt conscious that, from the mysterious, omniscient being which I must at first appear to her to be, I should soon be converted into a sort of grinning fool .... but there was no help for it.
"Yes, I know all,"—I muttered once more.
She darted a glance at me, rose quickly to her feet, and was on the point of departing.