The narrator records dated reminiscences of a lifelong, unrevealed devotion to a woman who has been part of his life since childhood. He reconstructs shared boyhood adventures, early readings and playful mischief that shaped his attachment, and the mingled seriousness and secret gaiety he alone perceives. Alternating vivid flashbacks and present confession, he admits timidity, missed opportunities, and admiration for others' courage, reflecting on memory, regret, and the quiet ache of loving without having openly claimed that love.