"You must hear me! For Heaven's sake, Ferdinande, such an opportunity will not come again--perhaps for weeks." She laughed scoffingly. "We have time enough!" Again she tried to pass him; again he stopped her. "Ferdinande!" "Once more: Let me pass! You need an opportunity? Such a good one to get rid of me may never come again." He stepped aside with a bow; she might have gone unhindered, but did not do so; hot tears filled her large eyes; she did not dare to go into the throng, but turned again toward the picture, while he took the same discreet pose as before. "Be gracious, Ferdinande! I looked forward eagerly to this moment--why do you embitter for both of us the precious minutes? You know, you must know, that I am resolved upon the last extremity, if it must be. But we cannot take the final step without considering everything." "We have considered for six months." "Over the garden wall, in words which were only half understood; in letters, which never say what we mean to say. That is nothing. You must give me an appointment, for which I have so often asked. Shall my hand never rest in yours, my lips never touch yours? And you ask for proofs of my love!" She looked at him with a side glance, gazed into his beautiful, light-brown, nervous eyes. Two more beautiful, two darker eyes, had looked at her an hour before with passionate fervor; she had resisted them, but she did not resist these. Her eyelids dropped. "I cannot do it," she stammered. "Say: 'I do not wish to do it.' I have made countless proposals. I asked to be presented to your brother at the club, recently. He was delighted to make my acquaintance--gave me a pressing invitation to call upon him--to see his pictures. How easily we could meet there!" "I am not allowed to visit my brother--have not been allowed to do so for a long time--and now, since last evening!" "Then your cousin! He will surely come to see us; I shall return his call--your father certainly cannot show me the door!" "I have thought of that, and prepared him for it. It would, in any case, be only a few minutes." "Then I shall consider farther; if I only know that you wish it, I shall find a way and write you, or rather tell you as soon as you give the sign." "I no longer dare to do it." "Why not?" "Some one is watching me at every step; I am not secure in his presence for a moment--Antonio--I told you about it; I am afraid." "Yes, you are always afraid."