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mantled red。 She was much less embarrassed than he； while she
betrayed her embarrassment not at all。 She was aware of a flutter
within； such as she had never known before； but in no way did it
disturb her outward serenity。 Joe； on the contrary； was obviously
awkward and delightfully miserable。
Neither knew love； and all that either was aware was an overwhelming
desire to look at the other。 Both had been troubled and roused； and
they were drawing together with the sharpness and imperativeness of
uniting elements。 He toyed with his spoon； and flushed his
embarrassment over his soda； but lingered on； and she spoke softly；
dropped her eyes； and wove her witchery about him。
But he could not linger forever over a glass of ice…cream soda；
while he did not dare ask for a second glass。 So he left her to
remain in the shop in a waking trance； and went away himself down
the street like a somnambulist。 Genevieve dreamed through the
afternoon and knew that she was in love。 Not so with Joe。 He knew
only that he wanted to look at her again； to see her face。 His
thoughts did not get beyond this； and besides； it was scarcely a
thought； being more a dim and inarticulate desire。
The urge of this desire he could not escape。 Day after day it
worried him； and the candy shop and the girl behind the counter
continually obtruded themselves。 He fought off the desire。 He was
afraid and ashamed to go back to the candy shop。 He solaced his
fear with； 〃I ain't a ladies' man。〃 Not once； nor twice； but scores
of times； he muttered the thought to himself； but it did no good。
And by the middle of the week； in the evening； after work； he came
into the shop。 He tried to come in carelessly and casually； but his
whole carriage advertised the strong effort of will that compelled
his legs to carry his reluctant body thither。 Also； he was shy； and
awkwarder than ever。 Genevieve； on the contrary； was serener than
ever； though fluttering most alarmingly within。 He was incapable of
speech； mumbled his order； looked anxiously at the clock； despatched
his ice…cream soda in tremendous haste； and was gone。
She was ready to weep with vexation。 Such meagre reward for four
days' waiting； and assuming all the time that she loved！ He was a
nice boy and all that； she knew； but he needn't have been in so
disgraceful a hurry。 But Joe had not reached the corner before he
wanted to be back with her again。 He just wanted to look at her。
He had no thought that it was love。 Love？ That was when young
fellows and girls walked out together。 As for himAnd then his
desire took sharper shape； and he discovered that that was the very
thing he wanted her to do。 He wanted to see her； to look at her；
and well could he do all this if she but walked out with him。 Then
that was why the young fellows and girls walked out together； he
mused； as the week…end drew near。 He had remotely considered this
walking out to be a mere form or observance preliminary to
matrimony。 Now he saw the deeper wisdom in it； wanted it himself；
and concluded therefrom that he was in love。
Both were now of the same mind； and there could be but the one
ending； and it was the mild nine days' wonder of Genevieve's
neighborhood when she and Joe walked out together。
Both were blessed with an avarice of speech； and because of it their
courtship was a long one。 As he expressed himself in action； she
expressed herself in repose and control； and by the love…light in
her eyesthough this latter she would have suppressed in all maiden
modesty had she been conscious of the speech her heart printed so
plainly there。 〃Dear〃 and 〃darling〃 were too terribly intimate for
them to achieve quickly； and； unlike most mating couples； they did
not overwork the love…words。 For a long time they were content to
walk together in the evenings； or to sit side by side on a bench in
the park； neither uttering a word for an hour at a time； merely
gazing into each other's eyes； too faintly luminous in the starshine
to be a cause for self…consciousness and embarrassment。
He was as chivalrous and delicate in his attention as any knight to
his lady。 When they walked along the street； he was careful to be
on the outside；somewhere he had heard that this was the proper
thing to do；and when a crossing to the opposite side of the street
put him on the inside； he swiftly side…stepped behind her to gain
the outside again。 He carried her parcels for her； and once； when
rain threatened； her umbrella。 He had never heard of the custom of
sending flowers to one's lady…love； so he sent Genevieve fruit
instead。 There was utility in fruit。 It was good to eat。 Flowers
never entered his mind； until； one day； he noticed a pale rose in
her hair。 It drew his gaze again and again。 It was HER hair；
therefore the presence of the flower interested him。 Again； it
interested him because SHE had chosen to put it there。 For these
reasons he was led to observe the rose more closely。 He discovered
that the effect in itself was beautiful； and it fascinated him。 His
ingenuous delight in it was a delight to her； and a new and mutual
love…thrill was theirsbecause of a flower。 Straightway he became
a lover of flowers。 Also； he became an inventor in gallantry。 He
sent her a bunch of violets。 The idea was his own。 He had never
heard of a man sending flowers to a woman。 Flowers were used for
decorative purposes； also for funerals。 He sent Genevieve flowers
nearly every day； and so far as he was concerned the idea was
original； as positive an invention as ever arose in the mind of man。
He was tremulous in his devotion to heras tremulous as was she in
her reception of him。 She was all that was pure and good； a holy of
holies not lightly to be profaned even by what might possibly be the
too ardent reverence of a devotee。 She was a being wholly different
from any he had ever known。 She was not as other girls。 It never
entered his head that she was of the same clay as his own sisters；
or anybody's sister。 She was more than mere girl； than mere woman。
She waswell； she was Genevieve； a being of a class by herself；
nothing less than a miracle of creation。
And for her； in turn； there was in him but little less of illusion。
Her judgment of him in minor things might be critical （while his
judgment of her was sheer worship； and had in it nothing critical at
all）； but in her judgment of him as a whole she forgot the sum of
the parts； and knew him only as a creature of wonder； who gave
meaning to life； and for whom she could die as willingly as she
could live。 She often beguiled her waking dreams of him with
fancied situations； wherein； dying for him； she at last adequately
expressed the love she felt for him； and which； living； she knew she
could never fully express。
Their love was all fire and dew。 The physical scarcely entered into
it； for such seemed profanation。 The ultimate physical facts of
thei