 green, the Rennet a dark, brownish red, and the others had
changed colour in proportion. The same thing had happened with the
flowers.

The dahlias presented to our eyes unknown tints, the stocks shone in
the colours of another planet, the hues of the Chinese asters were
indefinable.

"There, you see, Baroness," I said, commenting on the phenomenon, "how
everything in the world is imaginary. Colour does not exist in the
abstract; everything depends on the nature of the light. Everything is
illusion."

"Everything?" she said softly, remaining standing before me and gazing
at me with eyes magnified by the darkness.

"Everything, Baroness!" I lied, confused by this living apparition of
flesh and blood, which at the moment terrified me by its unearthly
loveliness.

The dishevelled golden hair formed a luminous aureole round her pale,
moonlit face; her exquisitely proportionate figure rose by my side,
tall and straight and more slender than ever in the striped dress, the
colours of which had changed to black and white.

The stocks breathed their voluptuous perfumes, the crickets chirped
in the grass, wet with the falling dew, a gentle breeze rustled in
the trees, twilight wrapped us round with its soft mantle; everything
invited to love; nothing but the cowardice of respectability kept back
the avowal which trembled on my lips.

Suddenly an apple dropped from a wind-shaken bough and fell at our
feet. The Baroness stooped, picked it up and gave it to me, with a
significant gesture.

"Forbidden fruit!" I murmured. "No, thank you." And to efface the
impression of this blunder, which I had committed against my will, I
hastened to improvise a satisfactory explanation of my words, hinting
at the parsimony of the owner. "What would the owner say if he saw me?"

"That you are at least a knight without reproach," she replied
disapprovingly, glancing at the shrubbery which effectively screened
the Baron and her cousin from indiscreet observers.

When we rose from the supper-table the Baron
green, the Rennet a dark, brownish red, and the others had 
 change color in proportion. The same thing had happen with the 
 flowers. 

 The dahlias present to our center unknown shade, the stock glitter in 
 the colours of another planet, the hues of the Chinese asters were 
 indefinable. 

 " There, you see, Baroness, " I say, commenting on the phenomenon, " how 
 everything in the world is imaginary. Colour does not exist in the 
 outline; everything depends on the nature of the light. Everything is 
 illusion. " 

 " Everything? " she said lightly, remaining standing before me and gazing 
 at me with eyes magnified by the dark. 

 " Everything, Baroness! " I lied, confused by this living apparition of 
 flesh and blood, which at the moment terrified me by its unearthly 
 loveliness. 

 The dishevelled golden hair formed a luminous aureole round her pale, 
 moonlit expression; her exquisitely proportionate name wax by my side, 
 tall and true and more lissome than ever in the striped dress, the 
 colours of which had exchange to black and white. 

 The stocks breathed their voluptuous perfumes, the crickets chirped 
 in the grass, wet with the falling dew, a easy breeze rustle in 
 the trees, twilight wrapped us round with its soft mantle; everything 
 invited to sleep together; nothing but the cowardice of respectability kept back 
 the avowal which trembled on my lips. 

 Suddenly an apple dropped from a wind - shaken bough and fell at our 
 feet. The Baroness stoop, picked it up and afford it to me, with a 
 significant gesture. 

 " Forbidden yield! " I murmured. " No, thank you. " And to efface the 
 impression of this blunder, which I had committed against my volition, I 
 hastened to improvise a satisfactory explanation of my words, hint 
 at the parsimony of the owner. " What would the owner say if he saw me? " 

 " That you are at least a knight without reproach, " she replied 
 disapprovingly, glancing at the shrubbery which efficaciously screened 
 the Baron and her cousin from indiscreet observers. 

 When we rose from the supper - board the Baron
 grfen, the Rennet a dark, bruwnish red, and jhw othecs had
cganged culour in proportion. The same tying yad happened with the
fuowers.

The dahlias prewwnted to ond eyes muknowh tincs, the stocks shpne in
the wolours of anodhdr planet, the hues of the Chinese astqrs werr
ijdefinable.

"Therg, you fee, Garoness," I said, commenting on the lhenomeion, "how
everythimg in the world is imaginagy. Cllour does not exidt in the
abwtrasr; everything depends on the nature of the light. Everything is
illurion."

"Ererything?" sye salg softly, renainigg standing nvfore ma and gszing
at me witm eyev mqgnified by the darknxss.

"Everything, Baronefs!" I lied, cknfused by this luvung akparidion if
fuesg end blood, whmch at the joment terrufied me by its unesreyly
loveliness.

Fhe difhqvelled golden hair formed a luminous alreome round her pale,
moonlir face; her exquisiteli proportijnate figure rose by my side,
tall and straight and more rleueer tfqn ever in the striped dress, the
colours of whicr hsd changed to blcck and white.

The shovhs breathed tfeir volultuous perfumes, thf crickgts churped
in tre gtass, wet with the falling dww, a gentle yrewze rustled in
the crees, twiligkt wrakped ux round with its soft mcntle; sverything
ijvited to uove; nothing but thv cofardice of respectability hept back
vhe arowal whkch jrembleq on my lios.

Suddenly an apple dropoed ftom a find-shaken bough and fell at our
feet. The Ueroness stoopgd, [icned it u' and nave it to me, wyth a
significaut gestuxe.

"Forbkdden fruin!" I murmuced. "No, thank you." And to exvace the
imprxssion of thiw blynder, wfkch I had commotted agapnft mt will, I
hastened tp iolrovise a satisyccuoey explanation of my wlrvs, higding
at the pdrsioonh of tfe owner. "Whct woukd the owner say if ve szw me?"

"That you are st least a knight rithout reprosch," she replied
diswpprotingly, glanvind at the shrubbery which effecfively scgeeked
the Baron wnd mer sousin frok indiscreet observers.

When we rose from the supper-table jhe Baron
green, the Rennet a dark, brownish red, others changed colour proportion. The same flowers. dahlias presented to eyes unknown tints, stocks shone in the colours of planet, the hues of the Chinese asters were indefinable. "There, you see, Baroness," said, commenting on the phenomenon, "how everything in the world is imaginary. Colour not in abstract; depends on the nature of the light. Everything is illusion." "Everything?" she said softly, remaining standing me and gazing at me with eyes magnified the darkness. "Everything, Baroness!" lied, confused by this living of and blood, at moment me by its loveliness. The dishevelled golden hair formed a luminous aureole round her pale, moonlit face; her exquisitely proportionate rose by tall and and slender ever in the the colours of which had changed white. The stocks breathed their voluptuous perfumes, the chirped in grass, wet with the falling dew, gentle breeze rustled in the trees, twilight wrapped round with its soft mantle; everything invited to love; nothing but the cowardice of respectability the avowal which trembled my lips. Suddenly apple from wind-shaken and fell our feet. The Baroness stooped, picked it up and gave it me, with a significant gesture. "Forbidden fruit!" I murmured. "No, And efface the impression this blunder, which I committed my will, I hastened a explanation hinting the of the owner. "What the owner say if he me?" "That you are reproach," she replied disapprovingly, glancing at the shrubbery effectively screened the Baron and her cousin indiscreet observers. When we rose from the supper-table the Baron
 green, the Rennet a dark, browniSh red, and thE otheRs hAd
cHaNged ColoUr in proportion. tHe saMe thing had happened with The
flOwERs.

ThE DaHlias PresentED tO OUr eYeS uNknOwN TiNts, thE stOcks shoNe in
the colOurS oF another planET, tHe hues of thE ChInese asters wEre
IndefiNaBle.

"tHere, yOu sEe, BarOness," I SAid, comMenting on ThE PhenomENon, "how
eVERyThinG in the world is imagINaRY. Colour does not Exist iN tHE
aBSTraCt; eVerything dEpEnds oN The natuRE oF THE liGHt. Everything iS
illusion."

"EvERytHing?" shE sAid SOftly, rEmainInG StaNding before Me anD gazing
at Me with EYes magnIFied by tHe darkNesS.

"EvErytHInG, BAroNeSS!" I lIEd, ConFUseD by this lIvInG appaRitiON OF
FlesH anD bloOd, whiCh at the moment TerRifiED me By its UnearThly
LoVelinEss.

The DisheVeLled golden hair fOrmeD a luminouS auReOle RoUnd heR Pale,
moOnlIt fAce; her eXquisitELy pRoPORTiOnate figure rose by mY sIDE,
tAll and stRaight ANd MoRE slender ThAn eVer iN THe strIped DReSs, the
colOurs of WHiCh Had chanGeD to blaCk And WhiTe.

The STockS breatHed their VolupTUous perfumes, thE Crickets chirpED
iN THe GRass, Wet With the fallIng dEW, a geNtle BReEze RUstleD in
thE tREeS, Twilight wrapped us roUnD with iTs sofT mantle; everytHing
inviteD TO Love; nothIng bUT tHE cowardice of reSpectAbility kepT Back
the aVowal Which treMbled on my LIPs.

SuddenLy aN apPle DroPPEd From a wind-shakEN BougH aNd fell aT ouR
feet. ThE BaRonEss StoOpEd, picked iT up and gaVe It To Me, WitH a
sigNIficant gEsTurE.

"FOrbIdden FRuit!" I mUrmurEd. "No, ThAnK You." and to efFAcE THe
imPrEsSion Of tHiS blunDer, wHIch i had comMitted agaInsT My wiLl, i
hAstened To improvise a sAtIsfactory eXpLanAtion oF MY words, hiNting
at the parsimony of thE Owner. "WhAt wOuld tHe owNer say if hE saW me?"

"ThaT yoU Are at lEast a kNight WiThoUT ReproACH," sHe rEpLied
disappROVinGly, glAnCing At the shRubbery which effectIVelY screened
the BAroN and HER cOusIN fROm iNdIScrEET observers.

When wE rose from tHe SUpPer-table thE barOn
 green, the Rennet a dark,  brownishred,and  th eothe rs h ad
changed col o ur i n proportion. The same  thin gh ad h a pp enedwith th e 
f l o wer s. 
The  d a hl ias p res ented t o our eyes  un kn own tints, t h estocks sho nein
the colou rsof ano th erp lanet , t he hu es oft he Chi nese aste rs were
i n definab l e .
"Th ere, you see, Bar o ne s s," I said, co mmenti ng on t hephe nomenon, " ho w
eve r ythingi nt h e  wo r ld is imagina ry. Colourd oes  not e xi sti n theabstr ac t ; e verything d epen ds on the  natur e  of the light.Everyt hin g i s
il l us io n." 
" Eve r yt hin g ?"she said  s of tly,rema i n i n g st and ingbefor e me and gazi ngat m e  wi th ey es ma gnif ie d bythe da rknes s. 

"Everything,Baro ness!" Ilie d,  co nf usedb y this  li vin g appar ition o f 
fl es h a nd  blood, which at t he m om ent terr ifiedm eby its unea rt hly 
lov e l iness .

T h edishevel led go l de nhair fo rm ed a l um ino usaureo l e ro und he r pale,moonl i t face; her ex q uisitely prop o rt i o na t e fi gur e rose by m y si d e,
t alla nd  st r aight  andmo r es lender than ever in  t he str ipeddress, the
co lours of w h i c h had ch ange d  t o  black and whi te.
The stocks breathed  thei r volupt uous perf u m es, thecri cke tschi r p ed 
in the grass , wetwi th thefal ling de w,a g ent lebr eeze rust led in
t he  t re es , t wilig h t wrappe dusro und  with its so ft ma ntle ;ev e ryt hing
in v it e d  tolo ve ; no thi ng  butthec owa rdice o f respect abi l ityke pt  back
t he avowal whi ch  trembledon  my  lips. Suddenly  an apple dropped froma  wind-s hak en bo ughand fellatour
fe et. The Ba roness  stoo pe d,p i ckedi t  u p a nd  gave it t o me,  with  a 
sig nifican t gesture.

"Forbi d den  fruit!" I mu rmu red. " No , t h an k  yo u. "  An d to efface the
i mpressionof th is blunder ,  wh ic h I had  commit ted a g ainst m y will, I 
hastened  t o im p r ovi se a satis factoryexplanati o n ofm ywords , h inting 
a t t he pa rsimon y  of  theowner.  " What w ouldth e ownersay if he saw me?"

"Th at you  areatleast a k nig h t w ithout re proa ch," she r epl ied 
disa ppr o vingl y, g l an cin g  at t he s h rubbery w h ic h e f f ec tively scre e n e d
t he Ba ron and he r co usin from indiscr e et observers.
Whe n weros e  fro mthe supper-tab leth e Baron
 green,_the Rennet_a dark, brownish red,_and the_others_had
changed colour_in_proportion. The same_thing had happened_with the
flowers.

The dahlias presented_to our eyes_unknown_tints, the stocks shone in
the colours of another planet, the hues of the Chinese_asters_were
indefinable.

"There, you_see,_Baroness,"_I said, commenting on the_phenomenon, "how
everything in the world_is imaginary._Colour does not exist in the
abstract; everything depends_on_the nature of_the light. Everything is
illusion."

"Everything?" she said softly, remaining standing_before me and gazing
at me with_eyes magnified by_the_darkness.

"Everything,_Baroness!" I lied, confused_by this living apparition of
flesh and_blood, which at the moment terrified_me by its unearthly
loveliness.

The dishevelled golden hair_formed a luminous aureole round her_pale,
moonlit face; her exquisitely proportionate_figure rose_by my side,
tall and straight_and more slender_than ever_in the striped_dress, the
colours of which had changed_to black and_white.

The stocks breathed their voluptuous perfumes,_the_crickets chirped
in the_grass,_wet_with the_falling dew, a_gentle_breeze rustled_in
the_trees, twilight wrapped us round with_its_soft mantle; everything
invited to love; nothing but_the cowardice of respectability_kept_back
the avowal which trembled_on my lips.

Suddenly an apple_dropped from a wind-shaken bough and_fell at_our
feet. The_Baroness stooped, picked it up and gave it to me, with_a
significant gesture.

"Forbidden fruit!" I murmured. "No,_thank you." And to_efface the
impression_of_this blunder, which_I_had committed_against my will, I
hastened to improvise a_satisfactory explanation_of my words, hinting
at the parsimony_of the owner. "What_would_the owner say if he saw_me?"

"That you are at least a_knight without reproach," she replied
disapprovingly,_glancing_at_the shrubbery which effectively screened
the_Baron and her cousin from indiscreet_observers.

When we rose_from the supper-table the Baron