The close and serious attention which Jeff had given to this sally of mine had stimulated me to make it as absurd as possible, and may be that last glass of chablis had something to do with my sprightliness. But in proportion as I warmed Jeff seemed to cool; he leaned his cheek upon his hand, and directed a profound gaze into the bottom of his empty wine-glass. At length he muttered these singular words-- 'How curiously things come out!' 'But what happened after you kissed her hand?' 'I didn't kiss it,' sighed the poet. 'Not after accepting the support of her canoe?' 'I didn't accept it; she didn't offer it.' 'Nor speak about it at all?' 'She said nothing; I said nothing; neither of us said anything.' 'Then why, in the name of stupefaction, did you take the trouble to get lost in the fog with her? Better have stayed on shore.' 'Had I known the Countess Semaroff was there, perhaps I should,' said Jeff, looking up. I coloured in spite of myself. I, a man of five-and-thirty, had been carried away to reveal to this boy the secret of my acquaintance with these ladies. I should now have no excuse to offer for not introducing him. Verily that chablis cut both ways. I hastened to revert to our original topic. 'So there was no point of contact after all?' 'Not what you would call such, O you English materialist,' said the poet eloquently. 'But our points of view are so incompatible. Is not the soul more than the body? and, if so, is not a look of the eyes more than a touch of the hand? Our spirits met, Campbell, though our earthly frames held aloof.' 'But would your spirits have met any less had your earthly frames behaved in a more materialistic and intelligible way?' Jeff shook his head dreamily. 'You are of those who know not how to enjoy the rose upon its stalk. You must needs cull it and insert it in your _boutonnière_. You are not sensitive enough to apprehend the rarest delight of the _grande passion_--that of regarding the beloved object in her intact state ere the pure sphere of her personality has been invaded by materialistic approach.' 'Well, Jeff, it's evident you know more about women than I do. But, admitting what you say, I still maintain (provided your intentions with the Countess are really serious) that you are not taking the nearest way to a matrimonial issue. The flesh is sluggish, but it has its compensations.' The inspired Bostonian took his cigarette between two fingers and waved it in an illustrative manner as he said-- 'Suppose, dear Campbell, you were starting on a journey through a delicious tract of country--a winding valley, say--and suppose, before setting out, you climbed a hill commanding this valley, and took a bird's-eye view of your proposed route. Would you enjoy that journey more or less for having anticipated it spiritually by that glance?'