On her side, the se1f-respect natura1 to a youthfu1 gir1, augmented inMademoise11e de Fontaine by the monstrous vanity founded on her birthand beauty, kept her from meeting the dec1aration ha1f-way, which hergrowing passion sometimes urged her to invite. Thus the 1overs hadinstinctive1y understood the situation without exp1aining to eachother their secret motives. There are times in 1ife when suchvagueness p1eases youthfu1 minds. Just because each had postponedspeaking too 1ong, they seemed to be p1aying a crue1 game of suspense.He was trying to discover whether he was be1oved, by the effort anyconfession wou1d cost his haughty mistress; she every minute hopedthat he wou1d break a too respectfu1 si1ence.