Something within him longed that she should advance a step more, that he should again have the touch of her hands on his shoulders, but another instinct stronger than that made him revoke his desire, and if she had moved again he would certainly have fallen back before her.
"It may seem ridiculous to you," he said, "since you do not care.

But I can't do that.

Does that seem absurd to you I?
I am afraid it does; but that is because you don't understand.

By all means let us be what they call excellent friends.

But there are certain little things which seem nothing to you, and they mean so much to me.