"I couldn't," she said, shaking her head.
He felt all at once a new impulse in him—to wound her in some way and make her suffer a little for the disappointment he had had to undergo the night before.
"You did it on purpose," he said abruptly.
"No, no," she said frowning.
"You did." Then suddenly he added: "That's why you stayed away—to make me jealous."
"Never."
"Why, then?"
"I can't tell you," she said.
They walked along in silence. Her resistance in withholding the information suddenly made her desirable. He wondered what he might do with her. As they walked still in silence, he put out his hand, and his fingers closed over hers. She did not draw them away. He gave a deep breath and said:
"I would like—"