I was introduced to her at the Mackenzie's, at a toboggan party given
for Lockhart, the son, my friend.

Shall I ever forget our slide on the toboggan hill and my emotions in
that simple question, "Will you slide with me?"

I was already far into a _grande passion_,--foolish and desperate.

She assented, stepped over to my toboggan kindly, sat down and placed
her feet under its curled front. The crown of the hill about us was
illumined by a circle of Chinese lanterns, and the moon, rising in the
East, reflected a dim light on the fields of snow. I lifted the
toboggan, gave the little run and leaped on at the end of the cushion,
with my foot out behind to steer. Immediately we shot down the first
descent, and as I straightened the course of the quick-flying leaf of
maple wood, I felt it correspond as if intelligently. The second descent
spurred our rate to an electric speed. As I bent forward, the snow
flying against my face, the sound of sliding growing louder and
shriller, and my foot demanding a sterner pressure to steer, a surge of
exhilarating emotions suddenly rushed over me, and a thought cried "This
is Alexandra! Alexandra whom you love."

"Alexandra!" my heart returned, "I am so near you!" Her two thick golden
plaits of hair fell just before my eyes. She was sitting calm and
straight. The toboggan shot on like a flash, and the drift beat fiercely
in my eyes. But why should I heed? Away! Away! Leave everything behind
us and speed thou out with me, love, into some region where I can reveal
to thee alone this earnest soul which thou has awakened into such
devotion!