'To whom ?' 'The most charming girl in the world.' 'May I ask her name ?' He laid his hand on his heart in a gesture reminiscent of Tony.
'Costantina.' 'Oh! I congratulate you.' 'Thank you--I hoped you would.' She looked away gravely toward the Maggiore rising from the midst of its clouds.

His gaze followed hers, and for three minutes there was silence.
Then he leaned toward her.
'Constance, will you marry me ?' 'No!' A pause of four minutes during which Constance stared steadily at the mountain.

At the end of that time her curiosity overcame her dignity; she glanced at him sidewise.

He was watching her with a smile, partly of amusement, partly of something else.
'Dear Constance, haven't you had enough of play, are you never going to grow up?
You are such a kid!' She turned back to the mountain.
'I haven't known you long enough,' she threw over her shoulder.
'Six years!' 'One week and two days.' 'Through three incarnations.' She laughed a delicious rippling laugh of surrender, and slipped her hand into his.
'You don't deserve it, Jerry, after the fib you told your sister, but I think--on the whole--I will.' Neither noticed that Mr.Wilder had stepped out from the house and was strolling down the cypress alley in their direction.

He rounded the corner in front of the parapet, and as his eye fell upon them, came to a startled halt.