"My dear fellow, you should never do two things at once." He replied: "I am only doing one--loving you." She drew herself up and said gravely: "What has come over you these ten minutes; have you lost your wits ?" "No, I have not lost my wits.

I love you, and at last I dare to tell you so." They were at this moment both standing in the salt pool wet half-way up to their knees and with dripping hands, holding their nets.

They looked into each other's eyes.
She went on in a tone of amused annoyance.
"How very ill-advised to tell me here and now! Could you not wait till another day instead of spoiling my fishing ?" "Forgive me," he murmured, "but I could not longer hold my peace.

I have loved you a long time.

To-day you have intoxicated me and I lost my reason." Then suddenly she seemed to have resigned herself to talk business and think no more of pleasure.
"Let us sit down on that stone," said she, "we can talk more comfortably." They scrambled up a rather high boulder, and when they had settled themselves side by side in the bright sunshine, she began again: "My good friend, you are no longer a child, and I am not a young girl.
we both know perfectly well what we are about and we can weigh the consequences of our actions.