Charles cast his eye on the woman who was leaning on his arm, and who, so calmly and with so musical a voice, signified her maternal disapprobation. They had come forth from the Pandan grove, so that the moonlight, shining full upon the perfect form of her snowy bosom, which a thin tulle handkerchief only nominally protected from the night air, imparted to her person an indescribably fascinating appearance. As though dazzled at the sight, the young man, for a single instant, closed his eyes; and when he opened them again, he found the deep, dark gaze of the beautiful woman fixed full upon him. She seemed to divine the impression which the view of her charms had, for a passing moment, made upon the youthful and susceptible man. Her look seemed to interrogate, and, at the same time, was encouraging.
“Madam,” said Charles at length with a deep breath, as if he were putting from him an unwelcome thought; “Madam, you were doubtless surprised to find me walking with Miss Anna in this somewhat lonely part of the garden—”
“Walking with her, yes,—and kissing her,” said fair Laurentia, completing the sentence.
“Well, yes,” continued Charles, “and kissing her; but should you perhaps think that we had purposely selected this spot, then—”
“Well, what then?” asked she, with a sly smile.
“Then you would be misjudging Miss Anna and myself.”
“I considered,” retorted Laurentia, somewhat sarcastically, “that the spot was an admirable one—well-chosen for kissing.”
“Yet it was the merest chance that brought us to it. Believe me, before that moment,—or to speak more correctly,—before this evening, not a word of love had ever passed between us.”
“Oh, Mr. van Nerekool!” exclaimed Laurentia, with a mocking smile, “that is quite incredible! Do you expect me to believe that two young people of different sexes, should be kissing each other in an out-of-the-way corner, if there had not previously been some words of affection,—of love,—spoken between them—without, in fact, any question of passion on either side?”
“And yet, madam, believe me, it is the perfect truth. I never tell a lie,” broke in Charles, with considerable vehemence.