First the horizon grew dark; then the river vanished in a mist, and
from the pasture-lands a sound came up of neighing horses, while, here
and there, faint lights flickered. As he sat there waiting, Yourii
began to count these.

"One, two, three--oh! there's another, right on the edge of the
horizon, just like a tiny star. Peasants are seated round it, keeping
their night-watch, cooking potatoes and chatting. The fire yonder is
blazing up and crackling merrily, while the horses stand, snorting,
beside it. But at this distance it's only a little spark that at any
moment might vanish."

He found it hard to think about anything at all. This sense of supreme
happiness utterly absorbed him. As if in alarm, he murmured at
intervals: "She will come back again, directly."

Thus he waited there, on the height, listening to horses whinnying in
the distance, to the cries of wild duck beyond the river, and to a
thousand other elusive, indefinite sounds from the woods at evening
which floated mysteriously through the air. Then as behind him he heard
steps rapidly approaching, and the rustling of a dress, he knew,
without looking round, that it was she, and in an ecstasy of passionate
desire he trembled at the thought of the coming crisis. Sina stood
still beside him, breathing hard. Delighted at his own audacity, Yourii
caught her in his strong arms, and carried her down to the grassy slope
beneath. In doing this, he nearly slipped, when she murmured: "We shall fall!" feeling bashful, and yet full of joy.