I have been blind--blind!"-- but her words were frozen up--she bent forward as if under a blow--but made no sound.
Maurice himself remained silent for a few minutes.

He had spoken under a strong impulse of excitement, he hardly knew how.

He, too, leaned his head upon his hand, but from under it he still watched the trembling girlish figure, which was the dearest thing in the world to him.
Presently he saw a tear steal out from between her small fingers and fall glittering upon the black dress she wore.

He moved uneasily--he had been surely very harsh.

Another tear fell--tear of bitter humiliation, good for her to shed--then a third.