And then she turned with them and went to the table.

He continued to light candles until the sputtering glow of half a dozen of them filled the room.

It was a wretched wastefulness, but it was also a moment in which he felt himself fighting to get hold of himself properly.

And he felt also the desire to be prodigal about something.

When he had lighted his sixth candle, and then faced Celie, she was standing near the table looking at him so quietly and so calmly and with such a wonderful faith in her eyes that he thanked God devoutly he had kissed her only once--just that once! It was a thrilling thought to know that SHE knew he loved her.