He had resolved that nothing should tempt him to disclose to her
his passion and its dreams, until they had reached their new home.
But there came a moment which mastered him, and he spoke.
It was in Monterey. They were to sail on the morrow; and had been
on board the ship to complete the last arrangements. They were
rowed back to shore in a little boat. A full moon shone. Ramona
sat bareheaded in the end of the boat, and the silver radiance from
the water seemed to float up around her, and invest her as with a
myriad halos. Felipe gazed at her till his senses swam; and when,
on stepping from the boat, she put her hand in his, and said, as she
had said hundreds of times before, "Dear Felipe, how good you
are!" he clasped her hands wildly, and cried, "Ramona, my love!
Oh, can you not love me?"
The moonlight was bright as day. They were alone on the shore.
Ramona gazed at him for one second, in surprise. Only for a
second; then she knew all. "Felipe! My brother!" she cried, and
stretched out her hands as if in warning.
"No! I am not your brother!" he cried.
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