The coffee
dispensed and the page gone, there followed a spell of silence. The
fire burned cheerily in the deep chimney, and the great logs cracked
and spluttered as much as to say, "If these two curious people can
find nothing to talk about, we can!" And then, just as luck would
have it, a burning ember suddenly detached itself from the rest and
fell out blazing on the hearth--Sylvie sprang up to push it back,
and Aubrey to assist her,--and then, strange to relate--only the
occult influences of attraction know how it happened--the little
difficulty of the burning ember brought those two other burning
embers of humanity together--for Aubrey, hardly conscious of what he
did, caught Sylvie's swaying, graceful figure as she rose from
bending over the fire, closely in his arms, with a passion which
mounted like a wave to tempest height, and knew no further
hesitation or obstacle.
"Sylvie! Sylvie! I love you!--my darling! I love you!--"
No answer came, for there was none needed. Her face was hidden on
his breast--but he felt rather than saw the soft white arms and
dainty hands moving tremblingly upwards, till they closed round him
in the dear embrace which meant for him from henceforth the faith
and love and devotion of one true heart through all the sorrows and
perplexities as well as the joys and triumphs of life.
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