"Then what do you suggest, Burton?"
"Why, I hardly know--perhaps to wait and see, Sir Nicholas."
"Masterly inactivity!"
"It might be that I could do a bit of finding out if I felt sure no harm
could come of it."
I was not quite certain what Burton meant by this--What possible harm
could come of it?
"Find out all you can and let me know--."
* * * * *
Suzette opened the door and came in just as I finished dressing--Burton
left the room.--She was pouting.
"So the book is not completed, Nicholas?--and the English Mees comes
three times a week--hein?"
"Yes--does that upset you?"
"I should say!"
"May I not have a secretary?--You will be objecting to my Aunt coming to
stay with me, or my dining with my friends--next!"
I was angry--.
"No--mon ami--not that--they are not for me--those--but a secretary--a
'Mees'--tiens?--for why do you want us two?"
"You two! good Lord! Do you think, Suzette--Mon Dieu!"--I now became
very angry. "My secretary is here to type my book--. Let us understand
one another quite--You have overstepped the mark this time, Suzette, and
there must be an end. Name whatever sum you want me to settle on you and
then I don't ever wish to see you again."
She burst into frantic weeping. She had meant nothing--she was
jealous--she loved me--even going to the sea could do nothing for her! I
was her adoré--her sun, moon and stars--of what matter a leg or an
eye--! I was her life--her Amant!!
"Nonsense, Suzette!--you have told me often it was only because I was
very rich--now be sensible--these things have to have an end some day. I
shall be going back to England soon, so just let me make you comfortable
and happy and let us part friends--."
She still stormed and raged--'There was someone else--it was the
"Mees"--I had been different ever since she had come to the flat--She,
Suzette, would be revenged--she would kill her--!' Then I flew into a rage, and dominated her, and when I had her
thoroughly frightened I appealed to the best in her--and when she was
sobbing quietly Burton came in to say that dinner was ready--his face
was eloquent!
"Don't let the waiters see you like that," I said.
Suzette rushed to the glass and looked at herself, and then began
opening her gold chain bag to get out her powder and lip grease--I went
on into the salon and left her--.