She glanced at my face to see how I might answer, and I said:
"This is the longest, too; it is exceedingly long."
Her confusion was now at its highest.
"But we are not near any tunnel," she cried. "You are deceiving me; there is no tunnel!"
"Yes, there is, the last one—look!"
And I pointed to my map. But she would see nothing and listen to
nothing.
"No, no,—there is no tunnel, I tell you there is none! But speak to
me if there be one!" she added.
She leaned back against the cushions, and smiled through half-closed
lids.
The engine whistled; I looked out; we were approaching the black opening. I remembered that I had promised to speak to her; I bent towards her, and in the darkness I felt her arms around my neck.
"Speak to me, please do! I am so frightened!" she whispered with
beating heart. "Why don't you speak to me?"