Would it not be better to abandon oneself frankly to the first ineffable sweetness of new-born love?
He saw Elena in the act of placing her lips to a glass of pale gold wine like liquid honey.

He selected from among his own glasses the one the servant had filled with the same wine, and drank at the same moment that she did.

They replaced their glasses on the table together.
The similarity of the action made them turn to one another, and the glance they exchanged inflamed them far more than the wine.
'You are very silent,' said Elena, affecting a lightness of tone which somewhat disguised her voice.

'You have the reputation of being a brilliant conversationalist--exert yourself therefore a little!' 'Oh cousin! cousin!' exclaimed Donna Francesca with a comical air of commiseration, while Filippo del Monte whispered something in his ear.
Andrea burst out laughing.
'Cavaliere Sakumi; we are the silent members of this party--we must wake up!' The long narrow eyes of the Asiatic--redder than ever now that the wine had kindled a deeper crimson on his high cheek-bones--glittered with malice.

All this time he had done nothing but gaze at the Duchess of Scerni with the ecstatic look of a _bonze_ in presence of the divinity.
His broad flat face, which might have come straight out of a page of O-kou-sai, the great classical humorist, gleamed red among the chains of flowers like a harvest moon.
'Sakumi is in love,' said Andrea in a low voice, and leaning over towards Elena.
'With whom ?' 'With you--have you not observed it yet ?' 'No.' 'Well, look at him.' Elena looked across at him.