But he forced himself to continue.
And after a few seconds the girl seemed to realize what she was doing.

For she withdrew her hands swiftly, and clasped them together in her lap.
As he neared the end of his brief story she raised her hands again.

But they did not seek his.

Instead she covered her horrified eyes with them, and she shook all over.
When he had finished he could see she was fighting for self-control.

Then, in a flood, the power of speech came back to her.
"Oh!" she gasped, her flower-face white and drawn, in the faint light.