“I like to hear you say so, Damastor. How wonderful you are, with a pretty speech every time we meet, and never twice the same! To me you are a picture, not music; I dream of you—dreams so lively, I almost fear the household will see what I see, and know my secret.”

“What do you see, Adraste?”

“Do you ask, my lover? … Damastor, your lips are cold! Poor boy!”

“Come farther into the shadow, Adraste—they will see us if we walk in the moonlight. I never saw such a great moon. Here, we can sit on this garden bench, and talk in peace.”

“There never was such a moon, Damastor, but the brightness is you, I think; I have come here alone, on nights like this, to see the garden turned to magic, and to think of—what we think of; but it was never so bright. If I could, I’d have it brighter still, and everybody here to see us walking in it. Our happiness is too beautiful to hide. I’m so proud of you, Damastor … Damastor, do you love me—as you said?”

“I love you more, Adraste, oh, so much more! Don’t you feel it, how much I love you? Do we need words?”

“I like you to tell me, Damastor; nobody could tell it as you can. When you first told me you loved me, I shall never forget how you told me!”

“Adraste, I don’t recall a single word. What I remember is the silence afterwards. I was so afraid there might be some one else you cared for already, and you managed to let me know there was some one and just as I felt ready to die, I found out I was the one, after all.”

“Yes, you found out! But I had to tell you.”

“You had to tell me! I like that. We just looked at each other and said nothing. I never was so happy in my life: I shall never be so happy again.”

“Oh, I shall, Damastor. I didn’t enjoy that silence a bit. I knew you cared, you innocent child, and I had to wait while you wrestled with the idea; and it wasn’t news to me, whatever it was to you, that you had my heart. Really I was annoyed at you, just standing there paralysed with your great discovery, and not knowing what to do next.”

“If I was struck dumb, Adraste, it was with happiness … And then I asked you for just one kiss, don’t you remember?”

“I do; that was the precise number you asked for.”

“But you let me take more than one, Adraste. I didn’t know what kisses were.”