She smiled and did not offer it to me again.
"Your eyes are so bright, and how white your teeth!" she said and grew
confused. "I am afraid of that last tunnel--please hold my hand when
we get to it. No--don't hold my hand; I didn't mean that, I was
jesting; but talk to me."
I promised to do what she asked me to.
A few moments later she laughed and said:
"I was not afraid of the other tunnels; only this one frightens me."
She glanced at my face to see how I might answer, and I said:
"This is the longest, too; it is exceedingly long."
Her confusion was now at its highest.
"But we are not near any tunnel," she cried. "You are deceiving me;
there is no tunnel!"
"Yes, there is, the last one--look!"
And I pointed to my map. But she would see nothing and listen to
nothing.
"No, no,--there is no tunnel, I tell you there is none! But speak to
me if there be one!" she added.
She leaned back against the cushions, and smiled through half-closed
lids.
The engine whistled; I looked out; we were approaching the black
opening. I remembered that I had promised to speak to her; I bent
towards her, and in the darkness I felt her arms around my neck.
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