A PASSIONATE DECLARATION.
"Koto," Numè said that night, as the maid brushed her hair till it shone
bright and glossy as the shining jade-stone she placed before the huge
Buddha when she visited the Kawnnon temple, "Mr. Sinka luf me."
"I know," the other said, quite complacently, and as though she had
never had even the smallest doubt about it.
"Why, Koto," Numè turned around in surprise, "how do you know?"
"Shiku tell me first. He say always the august consul carry with him the
flowers you give him, and he leave his big work for to come and see
you."
Numè smiled happily.
"Do you think he will love me forever, Koto?"
"Ah, no!" Koto answered, elaborately; "because the august consul is to
marry with the honorably august American woman in two months now, and of
course he love only his wife then."
This answer displeased Numè. She spoke quite sharply to Koto. "But he
tells me love never dies; that when he will love somebody he love her
only forever."
Koto shrugged her shoulders.
"Americans are very funny. I do not understand them."
The next day Numè asked Sinclair whether he thought it possible for one
who was married to love any one else besides his wife.
"Yes, Numè, it is possible," he said.
Then an idea struck him that she was thinking of her own case and her
approaching marriage to Orito.
"I don't believe in such marriages," he said. "I would despise a woman
who loved one man and married another." Numè smiled sadly.
"Ah, Mr. Sinka, that's _vaery mos'_ sad thad you despising poor liddle
womans. Will you despise _also_ grade big mans who do same thing?"
Then Sinclair comprehended. His face was quite haggard.
"Oh, Numè, Numè-san," he almost groaned, "what can I do?" The girl was
silent, waiting for his confidence.
"You understand, Numè, don't you--understand that I love you?"
The girl quivered with his passion, for a moment, then she stood still
in the path, a quiet, questioning, almost accusing, little figure.
"But soon you will marry with the red-haired lady," she said.
"No! I cannot!" he burst out, passionately. "I won't give you up! Numè,
I--I will try to free myself. It must not be, now. It would be wronging
all of us. Sweetheart, I never cared for her. I never loved any one in
the world but you, and I think I loved you even that first night. I will
tell her all about it, Numè. She is a good woman, and will give me my
freedom. Then she will go back to America, and we will be married and be
together here--in this garden of Eden." He was holding her little hands
in his now, and looking into her face hungrily.
"Think of it, Numè," he repeated; "only you and I together--always
together--no more parting at the turn of the road--no more long, long
nights alone. Oh! Numè! Numè!"
"But Orito?" she said, with pitiful pain. "Ah! my father would surely
kill me. You dunno my people."
"Yes, I do, sweetheart. You must tell them--they will forgive in
time--promise me, Numè--sweetheart."
He drew her towards him, but the girl still held back.
"Wait," she cried, almost in terror. "We _mus'_ be sure firs' _thad_ my
father, _thad_ Orito will not killing me."
"Kill you!" the man scoffed at the idea.
"Bud Numè is afraid," she persisted, and pulled her little hands
desperately from his. She ran a little way from him, a sudden feeling of
shyness and terror possessing her.
"Koto!" she called.
At the bend of the road where they were wont to part Sinclair helped her
into the waiting jinrikisha. Her little hand rested against his sleeve
for a moment. She was not afraid now--now that Koto was with her, and
the runners were watching them. She was not afraid to let him read her
little heart now. Such a look of tenderness and love and passion was in
her small flower face as filled Sinclair with a wild elation.
"My little passion flower," he whispered, and bending kissed her little
hand fervently.