Alpha Book

"You talk of chess,
duelling and stoning to death, in one sentence--I am utterly confused!
You upset all my ideas!"
"Considering how you have disturbed mine, it is a fair revenge. And
since we both admit that we have disturbed that balance upon which alone
depends all possibility of conversation, I think that I can do nothing
more graceful--pardon me, nothing less ungraceful--than wish you a
pleasant journey, which I do with all my heart, Madame."
Thereupon Orsino rose and took his hat.
"Sit down. Do not go yet," said Maria Consuelo, growing a shade paler,
and speaking with an evident effort.
"Ah--true!" exclaimed Orsino. "We were forgetting the little commission
you spoke of in your note. I am entirely at your service."
Maria Consuelo looked at him quickly and her lips trembled.
"Never mind that," she said unsteadily. "I will not trouble you. But I
do not want you to go away as--as you were going. I feel as though we
had been quarrelling. Perhaps we have. But let us say we are good
friends--if we only say it.


Pages:
393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417