I asked her then, ere the door opened, on wishing her "good-bye," with a
lingering hand-clasp, whether she would not call me by my Christian
name, too?
She gently whispered, "Frank"--so softly, so faintly, that the night-
wind, sighing by, could not catch the accents and bear the sound to
alien ears; but _I_ heard it, and my heart throbbed in a delirious
tempest of happiness; I lost my senses almost: my head swam in a
whirlwind of tumultuous joy: I was intoxicated with ecstasy!
"Good-night, Frank!" I heard her dear, sweet voice whispering, like
strains of music in my heart, as I went homewards. I seemed to feel her
warm violet breath still on my cheek. I could fancy I yet gazed into
the star-depths of her soul-speaking, deep, grey eyes.
"Good-night, Frank!" The words sang in my ears all night, and I slept
in fairyland.