Chapter XXVII

by Kate Chopin

　　"What is the matter with you?" asked Arobin that evening. "Inever found you in such a happy mood." Edna was tired by that time,and was reclining on the lounge before the fire."Don't you know the weather prophet has told us we shall seethe sun pretty soon?""Well, that ought to be reason enough," he acquiesced. "Youwouldn't give me another if I sat here all night imploring you." Hesat close to her on a low tabouret, and as he spoke his fingerslightly touched the hair that fell a little over her forehead. Sheliked the touch of his fingers through her hair, and closed hereyes sensitively."One of these days," she said, "I'm going to pull myselftogether for a while and think--try to determine what character ofa woman I am; for, candidly, I don't know. By all the codes whichI am acquainted with, I am a devilishly wicked specimen of the sex.But some way I can't convince myself that I am. I must think about it.""Don't. What's the use? Why should you bother thinking aboutit when I can tell you what manner of woman you are." His fingersstrayed occasionally down to her warm, smooth cheeks and firm chin,which was growing a little full and double."Oh, yes! You will tell me that I am adorable; everything thatis captivating. Spare yourself the effort.""No; I shan't tell you anything of the sort, though Ishouldn't be lying if I did.""Do you know Mademoiselle Reisz?" she asked irrelevantly."The pianist? I know her by sight. I've heard her play.""She says queer things sometimes in a bantering way that you don't noticeat the time and you find yourself thinking about afterward.""For instance?""Well, for instance, when I left her to-day, she put her armsaround me and felt my shoulder blades, to see if my wings werestrong, she said. `The bird that would soar above the level plainof tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sadspectacle to see the weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering backto earth.' "Whither would you soar?""I'm not thinking of any extraordinary flights. I only halfcomprehend her.""I've heard she's partially demented," said Arobin."She seems to me wonderfully sane," Edna replied."I'm told she's extremely disagreeable and unpleasant. Whyhave you introduced her at a moment when I desired to talk of you?""Oh! talk of me if you like," cried Edna, clasping her handsbeneath her head; "but let me think of something else while you do.""I'm jealous of your thoughts tonight. They're making you alittle kinder than usual; but some way I feel as if they werewandering, as if they were not here with me." She only looked athim and smiled. His eyes were very near. He leaned upon thelounge with an arm extended across her, while the other hand stillrested upon her hair. They continued silently to look into eachother's eyes. When he leaned forward and kissed her, she claspedhis head, holding his lips to hers.It was the first kiss of her life to which her nature hadreally responded. It was a flaming torch that kindled desire.