"May I tell you?"
"Well, if you want any answer to your question," added she, laughing.
"Please don't make fun of me. If you only knew——"
"What?"
He grasped her hand, and held it tight in his.
"Well, how deeply I love you."
He said this in a tragic tone, and heaved a sigh of relief when it was out at last.
The young girl tried to wrench away her hand, but he held it fast. She turned her head aside, so that he could not see the uncontrollable ray of happiness that gleamed within the depths of her eyes. Her heart fluttered, a thrill of joy passed through her whole frame; but she did her best to subdue her emotion, which might seem bold and unmaidenly, so that she schooled herself to say demurely, nay almost coldly:
"How can you possibly love me, when you know so little of me?"
"But must you know a person for ages before you love him, Ivanitza?"