Page:Hours Spent in Prison.djvu/111

 “O God! what is that?” he exclaimed, but the sound of his voice was insincere!

He felt her heart. It was beating feebly, but evenly! When he bent over her face he could feel her weak breathing, and accordingly supposed that Tenaida was not in a deep swoon, but simply overwhelmed with sleep.

Then he softly addressed her:

“Tenaida. It is I.”

Then the thought crossed his mind that it would be good if she did not awake for a long time. Having breathed softly, he cast a quick timid look around, and carefully smoothed her cheeks with his hand, then proceeded to kiss her closed mouth, which commenced to open gently under his strong kiss. He was afraid lest she should wake, then he retired silently, leaving her body dumb and motionless and in its defenceless condition. The sight of it was piteous, and