"Youwouldn'thavemiheriveriswarm。Evehereisiowuheriverisaswarmasafortableroom。Allofusherelovethewaterdow;
"No，Richard，youwouldn'thavefallenin。"Gretsaid，layingherha;Isawyouthemomentyougotoutofthehadifyouhadgohewroion，Iwasreadytoruntoyou。"
Iwishedtothafthat，butalreadyshewasgoiothefloorabove，andgme。Iweingmyhandbaginfrohere，lightedbutturnedlow，otheendoftheupperball，andshepickeditupaaheadihefrontrooms。
&oodforamomentlookiher，a。
"Thereisfreshwatericher，Richard。Ifthereisanythingelseyouwouldliketohave，pleasetellme。Itriednottooverlookanything。"
"Don&#ret，"Itoldher，"I'twishfmore。It'senoughjusttobeherewithyou，anyway。There'snothingelseIcarefor。"
Shelookedatmequidthensheloweredhereyes。Westoodsilentlyforseveralminutes，whileherofuskofanythingtosay。IwaellherhowgladIwastobewithher，evenifitwasht，butIknewIcouldsaythattretewwhyIhade。
"I'llleavethelampforyou，RidI'llwaitdownstairsforyouontheporeassoonasyouareready。"
&beforeIcouldofferthttothestairheadforhertoseethewaydowimeIhadpickedupthelamp，shewasoutofsightdo>
Iwalkedbaahedoorandbathedmyfads，sgthetraindustwithbrushandsoap。Therewasarowofhand-embroideredtowelsontheradItookoneanddriedmyfads。AfterthatIyhair，andfoundafreshhahehandbag。Thehedooraairstofi。
&herwasontheporchalkedthroughthedotupandgavemeachairbetweepulledheriougmyarmwithherhand。
"Isthisthefirsttimeyouhavebeehemountains，Richard？"herfatheraskedme，turninginhise。
"I'vehinahundredmilesofherebefore，sir。It'sadifferenttryuphere，butIsupposeyouwouldthinkthesameaboutthecoast，wouldn'tyou？"
"Oh，butFatherusedtoliveinNorfolk，"Gretsaid。"Didn'tyou，Father？"
"Ilivedthereforhreeyears。"
Therewassomethingelsehewouldsay，andbothofuswaitedforhimtoue。
"Fatherisamastermeic，"Gretwhisperedtome，"Heworksintherailroadshops。"
"Yes，"hesaidafterawhile。"I'velivedinmahereiswhereIwishtostay。"
Myfirstthoughtwastoaskhimwhyhepreferredthemountaiions，butsuddenlyIwasawarethatbothhearaweewaboutit。
Afterawhilehespokeagain，toGret，butasthoughhewerespeakingtosomeoheporch，afourthpersonwhomIhadfailedtoseeinthedarked，teed，forhimtoue。
&movedherchairafewiniiohoutsouhoftheriverdcovereduslikeablaonaight。
&quretdtheirlslosttheirmother，"hesaid，almostinaudibly，bendingforwardoverhiskneesandgazingoutacrree;afterwelosttheirmother，Icamebaountainstolive。I'tstayinNorfolk，andI'tstanditinBaltimore。ThiswastheohwhereIdpeace。Gretremembershermother，butherofyouderstandhowitiswithme。HermotherandIwereborhemountains，aogetherforalmosttwehenaftersheleftus，Imovedaway，foolishlybelievingthatIcet。ButIwaswrong。OfcourseIwaswrong。Aman&#etthemotherofhis，eventhoughheknowshewillneverseeheragain。"
&ede，andIyeyesfromherdarklyframedprofilebesideme。Theriverbelowusmadenosound，butthewarmthofitsvaporwouldhatitwasstillthere。
&herhadbentfartherforwardinhistilhisarmswererestingonhisknees，atoseesomeohersidehoaintopaboveit。Hiseyesstraiheshaftoflightthatcamethroughtheopendooronthemahere。Tearsfellfromhisfacelikefragmentsofstars，burningintohisquiveringhandsuntiltheywereoutofsight。
&illiupahroughthedoorway。Hishugeshadowfellupodmeashestoodtheremomentarilybefiurnedaowardhimbut，eventhoughheassingfromsight，Iyeyesuponhim。
&edclainstme，squeezingherfihehollowofmyhandandtougmyshoulderwithhercheeksasthoughsheweretryihingfromthem。Herfather'sfootstepsgrewfailastweolongerhearhim。
Somewherebelowus，alongthebankoftheriver，araihevalley，gahroughthenight。Oallyitslightsflashedthroughtheopeningsinthedarkness，danthebroadgreenriverlikephtsih，aallicechoofitssteelrumbledagainstthehighwallsofthemouclaspedherhandstightlyovermyhaertips。
"Richard，whydidyoue？"
Hervoigledwiththesgmetallicechoofthetrainthatnowseemedfaroff。
Ihadexpectedtupintomyface，butwheoher，Isawthatshewasgazingfardownintothevalley，dowersoftheriver。SheknewwhyIhade，butshedidnotwishtohearmesay>
IdidnotknowwhyIhadetoseeher，now。IhadlikedGretdIhaddesiredheraboveanyoneelseIkIottellherthatIlovedher，afterhavingheardherfatherspeakoflove。IwassorryIhade，nheardhimspeakofGretotherashedid。Ikwouldgiveherselftome，becauseshelovedme；butIhadnothingtogiveheriurn。Shewasbeautiful，verybeautiful，andIhaddesiredher。Thatwasbefore。IeveragainthinkofherasIhadeprepared。
"Whydidyoue，Richard？"
"Why？"
"Yes，Richard，why？"
MyeyesdwhatIfeltwasthememoryofthestar-poistwinklingdowninthevalleyahoftheriverflowihecaressersasshetouchedmyarm。
"Richard，pleasetellmewhyyoucame。"
"Idon'tknowwhyIcame，Gret。"