Not until the carriage had disappeared from view did the young man finally withdraw his gaze.
He raised his hand and gently ruffled the hair of the little girl in his embrace, lost in thought.
The little girl, curious, looked up at him, wondering why the young man who had just been telling her a story was suddenly staring off into space. Two strands of long hair fell by his temple, giving him a somewhat delicate and attractive appearance.
Out of curiosity, she reached out and twined the strand of black hair around her finger, gently playing with it.
As the donkey cart hit a small pothole and jolted slightly, the young man came to his senses, placed his right hand on the top of the little girl's head, paused, and then suddenly spoke:
"Let's stop here."
The man driving the cart was startled and almost thought he had misheard, but then quickly pulled the reins tight, and the donkey, already old, naturally came to a halt.
That man turned around and, with a flattering smile, said: