such a trifle!

We descended that prodigious flight without a word upon the subject,
and almost without a word at all. She had carried herself well in
the presence of Almavivas, and had been too proud to seem ashamed of
her companion; but now, as I could well see, her feelings of disgust
and contempt had returned. When I begged her not to hurry herself,
she would hardly answer me; and when she did speak, her voice was
constrained and unlike herself. And yet how beautiful she was!
Well, my dream of Spanish love must be over. But I was sure of this;
that having known her, and given her my heart, I could never
afterwards share it with another.

We came out at last on the dark, gloomy aisle of the cathedral, and
walked together without a word up along the side of the choir, till
we came to the transept. There was not a soul near us, and not a
sound was to be heard but the distant, low pattering of a mass, then
in course of celebration at some far-off chapel in the cathedral.
When we got to the transept Maria turned a little, as though she was
going to the transept door, and then stopped herself. She stood
still; and when I stood also, she made two steps towards me, and put
her hand on my arm. "Oh, John!" she said.

"'Well," said I; "after all it does not signify. You can make a joke
of it when my back is turned."

"Dearest John!"--she had never spoken to me in that way before--"you
must not be angry with me. It is better that we should explain to
each other, is it not?"