Man and Maid

"Then I may take a lover, some day, should I desire to?" she asked a

little cynically.

"Certainly, if you tell me about it and don't deceive me, or make me

look ridiculous. The bargain would be too unfair to you at your age

otherwise."

She looked straight into my eye now and hers were a little fierce.

"And you--shall you take a mistress?"

I watched the smoke of my cigarette curling.

"Possibly," I answered lazily, as though the matter were too much a

foregone conclusion to discuss. "Should you mind?"

A faint movement showed in her throat as if she had stopped herself

swallowing. She looked down. I know she finds it very difficult to lie,

and could not possibly do so if we were gazing at each other.

"Why should I mind?"

"No of course, why should you?"

She looked up then, but not at me. Her eyes flashed and her lip curled

in contempt.

"Two seems vulgar though," she snapped.

"I agree with you, the idea wounds my aesthetic senses."

"Then we need not expect another--in the flat just yet?"

At last it was out!

I appeared not to understand, and smoked on calmly, and before I could

answer the telephone rang. She handed me the instrument, and I said

"Hello." It was Coralie! She spoke very distinctly, and Alathea, who was

near, must have been able to hear most of the words in the silence.

"Nicholas, I am going to be by myself this evening, you will have a

dinner for me? Just us alone, hein?"

I permitted my face to express pleasure and amusement. My wife watched

me agitatedly.

"Non, chère Amie--Alas! To-night I am engaged. But I shall see you

soon."

"Est il vrai--ce mensonge-la?"

Coralie said this loud!

I put up my hand so as to be able to continue observing Alathea's face.

It was the picture of disgust and resentment.

"Yes, it is perfectly true, Coralie--Bon soir."

In a temper, one could gather, Coralie put the receiver down! And I

laughed aloud.

"You see I prefer your intellectual conversation to any of my friends!"

I told Alathea.

Alathea's cheeks were a bright pink.

"It is not that," her tone was sarcastic, "so much as that you probably

have a sense of tenue, as the Duchesse says. After a little while you

will not have to observe it so strictly," and she rose from her chair

and went to the window. "If you are going to rest now, I would wish to

go out," her voice was a little hoarse.