"Long ago, when the soul that looked from your eyes was not the accursed thing it is now.

Now Rima would start at the sight of them; now she would fly in terror from their insane expression." "O spiteful voice, must you spoil even such appetite as I have for this fork-tongued spotty food?
You by day and Rima by night--what shall I do--what shall I do ?" For it had now come to this, that the end of each day brought not sleep and dreams, but waking visions.

Night by night, from my dry grass bed I beheld Nuflo sitting in his old doubled-up posture, his big brown feet close to the white ashes--sitting silent and miserable.

I pitied him; I owed him hospitality; but it seemed intolerable that he should be there.
It was better to shut my eyes; for then Rima's arms would be round my neck; the silky mist of her hair against my face, her flowery breath mixing with my breath.

What a luminous face was hers! Even with closeshut eyes I could see it vividly, the translucent skin showing the radiant rose beneath, the lustrous eyes, spiritual and passionate, dark as purple wine under their dark lashes.