Then she drifted into a still sweeter strain . As he listened to it he realized that the whole soul and nature of the girl were revealing themselves to him through her music -- the beauty and purity of her thoughts , her childhood dreams and her maiden reveries . There was no thought of concealment about her ; she could not help the revelation she was unconscious of making . At last she laid her violin aside and wrote , `` I have done my best to give you pleasure . It is your turn now . Do you remember a promise you made me last night ? Have you kept it ? '' He gave her the two books he had brought for her -- a modern novel and a volume of poetry unknown to her . He had hesitated a little over the former ; but the book was so fine and full of beauty that he thought it could not bruise the bloom of her innocence ever so slightly . He had no doubts about the poetry . It was the utterance of one of those great inspired souls whose passing tread has made the kingdom of their birth and labour a veritable Holy Land . He read her some of the poems . Then he talked to her of his college days and friends . The minutes passed very swiftly . There was just then no world for him outside of that old orchard with its falling blossoms and its shadows and its crooning winds . Once , when he told her the story of some college pranks wherein the endless feuds of freshmen and sophomores figured , she clapped her hands together according to her habit , and laughed aloud -- a clear , musical , silvery peal . It fell on Eric 's ear with a shock of surprise . He thought it strange that she could laugh like that when she could not speak . Wherein lay the defect that closed for her the gates of speech ? Was it possible that it could be removed ?
`` Kilmeny , '' he said gravely after a moment 's reflection , during which he had looked up as she sat with the ruddy sunlight falling through the lilac branches on her bare , silky head XXXXX a shower of red jewels , `` do you mind if I ask you something about your inability to speak ?
At about into like of on over that through to