"What do you say?" she said as though from a great distance away.
"My lovely one," he said.
They lay there and he felt her heart beating against his and with the side of his foot he stroked very lightly against the side of hers.
"Thee came barefooted," he said.
"Yes."
"Then thee knew thou wert coming to the bed."
"Yes."
"And you had no fear."
"Yes.
Much.
But more fear of how it would be to take my shoes off."
"And what time is it now? _lo sabes?_"
"No.
Thou hast no watch?"
"Yes.
But it is behind thy back."
"Take it from there."
"No."
"Then look over my shoulder."
It was one o'clock.
The dial showed bright in the darkness that the robe made.
"Thy chin scratches my shoulder."
"Pardon it.
I have no tools to shave."
"I like it.
Is thy beard blond?"
"Yes."
"And will it be long?"
"Not before the bridge.
Maria, listen.
Dost thou--?"
"Do I what?"
"Dost thou wish?"
"Yes.
Everything.
Please.
And if we do everything together, the other maybe never will have been."
"Did you think of that?"
"No.
I think it in myself but Pilar told me."
"She is very wise."
"And another thing," Maria said softly.
"She said for me to tell you that I am not sick.
She knows about such things and she said to tell you that."
"She told you to tell me?"
"Yes.
I spoke to her and told her that I love you.
I loved you when I saw you today and I loved you always but I never saw you before and I told Pilar and she said if I ever told you anything about anything, to tell you that I was not sick.
The other thing she told me long ago.
Soon after the train."