I considered a moment. No, I couldn't let her be.... I happened, as if inadvertently, to knock over the light, so that it went out. She made a despairing struggle--gave vent at last to a little whimper. "No, not that! If you like, you may rather kiss me, oh, dear, kind...." I stopped instantly. Her words sounded so terrified, so helpless, I was struck to the heart. She meant to offer me a compensation by giving me leave to kiss her! How charming, how charmingly naïve. I could have fallen down and knelt before her. "But, dear pretty one," I said, completely bewildered, "I don't understand.... I really can't conceive what sort of a game this is...." She rose, lit the candle again with trembling hands. I leant back on the sofa and did nothing. What would happen now? I was in reality very ill at ease. She cast a look over at the clock on the wall, and started. "Ugh, the girl will soon come now!" she said; this was the first thing she said. I took the hint, and rose. She took up her jacket as if to put it on, bethought herself, and let it lie, and went over to the fireplace. So that it should not appear as if she had shown me the door, I said: "Was your father in the army?" and at the same time I prepared to leave. "Yes; he was an officer. How did you know?" "I didn't know; it just came into my head." "That was odd." "Ah, yes; there were some places I came to where I got a kind of presentiment. Ha, ha!--a part of my insanity, eh?" She looked quickly up, but didn't answer. I felt I worried her with my presence, and determined to make short work of it. I went towards the door. Would she not kiss me any more now? not even give me her hand? I stood and waited. "Are you going now, then?" she said, and yet she remained quietly standing over near the fireplace.