I purchased a book of love poetry, which contains a quote expressing deep, secret affection: "I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul." The narrator is surprised by this heartfelt line and remarks on its beauty. They seem to have a close moment of connection through the poetry, emphasizing the emotional impact of such words.

The other character reacts with a sense of regret or frustration, wishing the narrator had opened the book earlier to see the meaningful quote. This highlights the significance of poetry and words in expressing feelings, as well as a shared appreciation or longing to understand each other's emotions more deeply, inspired by the poetic line from Neruda.