"Charmian!" said I, "oh, Charmian, are you there have I guessed
right?" I heard a rustle close beside me, and, in the gloom,
came a hand to meet and clasp my own; wherefore I stooped and
kissed those slender fingers, drawing her into the fireglow; and
her eyes were hidden by their lashes, and the glow of the fire
seemed reflected in her cheeks.
"The candles were so--bright, Peter," she whispered.
"Yes."
"And so--when I heard you coming--"
"You heard me?"
"I was sitting on the bench outside, Peter."
"And, when you heard me--you put the candles out?"
"They seemed so--very bright, Peter."
"And shut the door?"
"I only--just--closed it, Peter." She was still wrapped in her
cloak, as she had been when I first saw her, wherefore I put back
the hood from her face. And behold! as I did so, her hair fell
down, rippling over my arm, and covering us both in its splendor,
as it had done once before.
"Indeed--you have glorious hair!" said I. "It seems wonderful to
think that you are my wife. I can scarcely believe it--even yet!"
"Why, I had meant you should marry me from the first, Peter."
"Had you?"
"Do you think I should ever have come back to this dear solitude
otherwise?"
Now, when I would have kissed her, she turned her head aside.
"Peter."
"Yes, Charmian?"
"The Lady Sophia Sefton never did gallop her horse up the steps
of St. Paul's Cathedral."
"Didn't she, Charmian?"
"And she couldn't help her name being bandied from mouth to
mouth, or 'hiccoughed out over slopping wineglasses,' could she?"
"No," said I, frowning; "what a young fool I was!"
"And, Peter--"
"Well, Charmian?"
"She never was--and never will be--buxom, or strapping--will she?
'buxom' is such a--hateful word, Peter! And you--love her?
--wait, Peter--as much as ever you loved Charmian Brown?"
"Yes," said I; "yes--"
"And--nearly as much as--your dream woman?"
"More--much more, because you are the embodiment of all my
dreams--you always will be Charmian. Because I honor you for
your intellect; and worship you for your gentleness, and spotless
purity; and love you with all my strength for your warm, sweet
womanhood; and because you are so strong, and beautiful, and
proud--"
"And because, Peter, because I am--just--your loving--Humble
Person."