ion of
feeling which followed the recognition of the grossness of the mistake I
had made had no doubt the effect of greatly intensifying my emotions. I
was overcome with contrition for the unworthiness with which I had stood
before this girl who had so trusted to my magnanimity, appraising her
like a sensualist when I should have been on my knees before her. A
reaction of compunctious loyalty made my very heartstrings ache. I saw
now how well it had been for a weak-minded fool like myself that she
had not chanced to be beautiful or even pretty, for then I should have
cheated myself of all that distinguished this solemn meeting from
the merest lover's antics. I won in that moment an impression of the
tawdriness of mere beauty which I have never gotten over. It seemed to
me then, and more or less has ever since, that the beauty of women is a
sort of veil which hides from superficial eyes the true adorableness of
womanhood.

"Unable longer to resist the magnetism of my gaze, her eyes rose slowly
to mine. At their first meeting, her face became crimson; but as she
did not avert her eyes, and continued to look into mine, the flush
paled swiftly from her face, and with it all the other evidences of
her embarrassment passed as quickly away, leaving her bearing wholly
changed. It was plain that through my eyes, which in that moment must
have been truly windows of my soul, she had read my inmost thoughts,
and had perceived how altogether impertinent to their quality
self-consciousness on her part would be. As with a gaze growing ever
more serene and steadfast she continued to read my thoughts, her face
changed, and from the look of a shy and timid maiden it gradually took
on that of a conscious goddess. Then, as still she read on, there came
another change. The soft black eyes grew softer and yet softer, and then
slowly filled with tears till they were like brimming vases. She did
not smile, but her brows and lips assumed a look of benignant sweetness
indescribable.

"In that moment no supernatural aureole would have added sacredness to
that head, or myth of heavenly origin have made that figure seem more
adorable. With right good-will I sank upon my knees. She reached forth
her hand to me and I pressed my lips to it. I lifted up the hem of her
dress and kissed it. There was a rustle of garments. I looked up and she
was gone.

"I suppose immediately after that I must have left the house. I only
know that the dawn found me mi