"Now, you mustn't come any farther with me," she says. "Thank you for coming so far."
I bowed; I daren't say anything; I took off my hat and stood bareheaded. I wonder if she will give me her hand.
"Why don't you ask me to go back a little way with you?" she asks, in a low voice, looking down at the toe of her shoe.
"Great Heavens!" I reply, beside myself, "Great Heavens, if you only would!"
"Yes; but only a little way."
And we turned round.
I was fearfully confused. I absolutely did not know if I were on my head or my heels. This creature upset all my chain of reasoning; turned it topsy-turvy. I was bewitched and extraordinarily happy. It seemed to me as if I were being dragged enchantingly to destruction. She had expressly willed to go back; it wasn't my notion, it was her own desire. I walk on and look at her, and get more and more bold. She encourages me, draws me to her by each word she speaks. I forget for a moment my poverty, my humble position, my whole miserable condition. I feel my blood course madly through my whole body, as in the days before I caved in, and resolved to feel my way by a little ruse.
"By-the-way, it wasn't you I followed that time," said I. "It was your sister."
"Was it my sister?" she questions, in the highest degree amazed. She stands still, looks up at me, and positively waits for an answer. She puts the question in all sober earnest.
"Yes," I replied. "Hum--m, that is to say, it was the younger of the two ladies who went on in front of me."