One evening as these lovers sat out on their stone bench in thesolitude over which the night fell, they suddenly perceived a hawthornbush, which grew solitarily between the rocks, by the side of theroad, covered with tiny flowered tufts.
"It looks as if 'twas in bloom," said Yann.
They drew near to inspect it. It was in full flower, indeed. As theycould not see very well in the twilight, they touched the tiny blooms,wet with mist. Then the first impression of spring came to them at thesame time they noticed this; the days had already lengthened, the airwas warmer, and the night more luminous. But how forward thisparticular bush was! They could not find another like it anywherearound, not one! It had blossomed, you see, expressly for them, forthe celebration of their loving plight.
"Oh! let us gather some more," said Yann.
Groping in the dark, he cut a nosegay with the stout sailor's knifethat he always wore in his belt, and paring off all the thorns, heplaced it in Gaud's bosom.
"You look like a bride now," said he, stepping back to judge of theeffect, notwithstanding the deepening dusk.
At their feet the calm sea rose and fell over the shingle with anintermittent swash, regular as the breathing of a sleeper; for itseemed indifferent or ever favourable to the love-making going on hardby.
In expectation of these evenings the days appeared long to them, andwhen they bade each other good-bye at ten o'clock, they felt a kind ofdiscouragement, because it was all so soon over.
They had to hurry with the official documents for fear of not beingready in time, and of letting their happiness slip by until theautumn, or even uncertainty.
Their evening courtship in that mournful spot, lulled by the continualeven wash of the sea, with that feverish impression of the flight oftime, was almost gloomy and ominous. They were like no lovers; moreserious and restless were they in their love than the common run.
Yet Yann never told her what mysterious thing had kept him away fromher for these two lonely years; and after he returned home of a night,Gaud grew uneasy as before, although he loved her perfectly--this sheknew. It is true that he had loved her all along, but not as now; lovegrew stronger in his heart and mind, like a tide rising andoverbrimming. He never had known this kind of love before.
Sometimes on their stone seat he lay down, resting his head in Gaud'slap like a caressing child, till, suddenly remembering propriety, hewould draw himself up erect. He would have liked to lie on the veryground at her feet, and remain there with his brow pressed to the hemof her garments. Excepting the brotherly kiss he gave her when he cameand went, he did not dare to embrace her. He adored that invisiblespirit in her, which appeared in the very sound of her pure, tranquilvoice, the expression of her smile, and in her clear eye.
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