Leila had gone out, and all at once I knew that my Patriotism was not what I had thought it, for I could not bear to see him going to War, especialy as his mother would be lonly without him.
Although I have never considered myself weak, I now felt that I was going to cry. I therfore said in a low voice to give me a Handkercheif, and he gave me one of his.
“Why, look here,” he said, in an astounded manner, “you aren’t crying about me, are you?”
I said from behind his Handkercheif that I was not, except being sorry for his mother and also for him on account of Leila.
“Leila!” he said. “What about Leila?”
“She is lost to you forever,” I replied in a choking tone. “She is betrothed to another.”
He became very angry at that, and observed:
“Look here, Bab. One minute I think you are the cleverest Girl in the World, and the next—you little stuped, do you still insist on thinking that I am in love with Leila?”
At that time I began to feel very queer, being week and at the same time excited and getting red, the more so as he pulled the Handkercheif from my eyes and commanded me: “Bab, look at me. Do I look as though I care for Leila?”
I, however, could not look at him just then. Because I felt that I could not endure to see the Unaform.