Then she stopped, as she felt him quivering.  She was afraid lest she might again revive his old fears.  But she gradually conquered him merely by the caressing gaze of her blue eyes.  His eyelids were now raised, and he rested there quietly, wholly hers, his tremor past.

‘Ah! if you only knew!’ she softly breathed; and seeing that he continued to smile, she went on boldly:  ’It is all a lie; it is not forbidden.  You are a man now and ought not to be afraid.  If we went there, and any danger threatened me, you would protect me, you would defend me, would you not?  You could carry me off on your back, couldn’t you?  I am never the least afraid when I have you with me.  Look how strong your arms have grown.  What is there for any one with such strong arms as yours to be afraid of?’

She caressed him beguilingly as she spoke, stroking his hair and neck and shoulders with her hand.

‘No, it is not forbidden,’ she resumed.  ’That is only a story for stupids, and was invented, long ago, by some one who didn’t want to be disturbed in the most charming spot in the whole garden.  As soon as you sat down on that grassy carpet, you would be happy and well again.  Listen, then, come with me.’

He shook his head but without any sign of vexation, as though indeed he liked thus being teased.  Then after a short silence, grieved to see her pouting, and longing for a renewal of her caresses, he opened his lips and asked:  ‘Where is it?’

She did not answer him immediately.  Her eyes seemed to be wandering far away:  ‘It is over yonder,’ she murmured at last.  ’I cannot explain to you clearly.  One has to go down the long avenue, and then to turn to the left, and then again to the left.  We must have passed it at least a score of times.  You might look for it for ever without finding it, if I didn’t go with you to show you.  I could find my way to it quite straight, though I could never explain it to you.’

‘And who took you there?’

’I don’t know.  That morning the trees and plants seemed to drive me there.  The long branches pushed me on, the grass bent down before me invitingly, the paths seemed to open expressly for me to take them.  And I believe the animals themselves helped to lead me there, for I saw a stag trotting on before me as though he wanted me to follow; while a company of bullfinches flitted on from tree to tree, and warned me with their cries whenever I was about to take a wrong direction.’

‘And is it very beautiful?’

Again she did not reply.  Deep ecstasy filled her eyes; at last, when she was able to speak again, she said:  ’Ah! so beautiful, that I could never tell you of it.  I was so charmed that I was conscious only of some supreme joy, which I could not name, falling from the leaves and slumbering amid the grass.  And I ran back here to take you along with me that I might not be without you.’

Then she clasped her arms round his neck again, and entreated him passionately, her lips almost pressed to his own.