He felt almost inclined to leave
the girl sitting there; but he resisted and conquered the impulse, and
said:
"Come, let us have another dance."
He held her hand fast, and the pleasure and excitement began again; but
this time it was more quiet and moderate. Both of them seemed to feel
that the sensation of being lifted to the sky was over and past; and
this thought was evidently in Amrei's mind when she said:
"Well, we have been very happy together once, even if we don't see each
other again in all our lives, and even though neither of us knows the
other's name."
The youth nodded and said:
"You are right."
Amrei held the end of her braid between her lips in embarrassment, and
after a pause spoke again:
"The enjoyment one has once had cannot be taken from one; and whoever
you are, you need never repent of having given a poor girl a pleasure
she will remember all her life."
"I don't repent of it," replied her partner. "But I know that you repent
of having answered me so sharply this morning."
"Oh, yes, you are right there!" cried Amrei; and then the stranger said:
"Would you venture to go out into the field with me?"
"Yes."
"And do you trust me?"
"Yes."
"But what will your people say?"
"I have nobody but myself to give account of my actions to; I am an
orphan."
Hand in hand the two went out of the dancing-room. Barefoot heard
several people whispering and tittering behind her, but she kept her
eyes fixed on the ground.
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