We both seemed
to feel that some serious conversation would take place. At first I
wanted to point out to her various places and tell her the names, but
had scarcely mentioned Schareck when it struck me as so incongruous
with the thoughts nearest our hearts that I grew silent. We could talk
only about our two selves, or else remain silent. And we walked on in
silence for a long time; this silence besides was necessary for me,
and gave me time to conquer that restlessness which seizes us when
we approach a great crisis. I got myself so far under control that I
resolved to speak of my love, with calmness and naturally, as if it
were a known and established fact. Experience had taught me that women
can be attuned to any disposition. Nothing influences the feminine
mind so much as the tone of conversation; and if the man in making a
proposal does it with the air of one who expects the earth to swallow
him as soon as he has uttered the words, that is, in terror and the
consciousness that he is doing something quite unheard of, that terror
and that consciousness communicate themselves very quickly to the
woman. Acting in the opposite way, the proposal loses much of its
impressiveness, but it goes smoother and creates less opposition.
Besides, I had already told her of my love; all I wanted now was to
prevent Aniela from going off at a tangent at the first tender word;
in that case conversation would become impossible.
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