His silence seemed to irritate and perplex her.

She looked away from him, drew her chair a little closer to the fire, and sat with her head resting upon her hands.

Her tone had become almost meditative.
"I knew that this would come one day," she went on.

"Why don't you speak and get it over?
Are you waiting to clothe your phrases?
Are you afraid of the naked words?
I'm not.

Let me hear them.