Alpha Book

But his face baffled her.
"You are too modest," she said.
"Do you think it is a defect? Shall I cultivate a little more assurance
of manner?" he asked, very innocently.
"Not to-day. Your first attempt might lead you into extremes."
"There is not the slightest fear of that, Madame," he answered with some
emphasis.
She coloured a little and her closed lips smiled in a way he had often
noticed before. He congratulated himself upon these signs of approaching
ill-temper, which promised an escape from his difficulty. To take leave
of her suddenly was to abandon the field, and that he would not do. She
had determined to force him into a confession of devotion, and he was
equally determined not to satisfy her. He had tried to lead her off her
track with frivolous talk and had failed. He would try and irritate her
instead, but without incurring the charge of rudeness. Why she was
making such an attack upon him, was beyond his understanding, but he
resented it, and made up his mind neither to fly nor yield.


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