“Is it that he has fallen in love—­or is it that he desires information which she alone can give him?” he asked at length.  Which was, after all, the most natural thought that could come to him at that moment and in that place.  For every man must see the world through his own eyes.

Before she could answer him the town clocks struck ten.  Netty rose hastily and drew her cloak round her.

“I must go,” she said; “I have been here much more than five minutes.  Why did you let me stay?  Oh—­why did you make me come?”

And she hurried towards the gate, Kosmaroff walking by her side.

“You will come again,” he said.  “Now that you have come once—­you cannot be so cruel.  Now that you know.  I am nearly always at the river, at the foot of the Bednarska.  You might walk past, and say a word in passing.  You might even come in my boat.  Bring that woman with the black hair, your aunt, if necessary.  If would be safer, perhaps.  Do you speak French?”

“Yes—­and she does not.”

“Good—­then we can talk.  I must not go beyond the gate.  Good-bye—­and remember that I love you—­always, always!”

He stood at the gate and watched her hurry across the square towards the side door of the hotel, where the concierge was so busy that he could scarcely keep a note of all who passed in and out.

“It is all fair—­all fair,” said Kosmaroff to himself, seeking to convince himself.  “Besides—­has the world been fair to me?”

Which argument has made the worst men that walk the earth.

XX

A LIGHT TOUCH

Soon after ten o’clock Miss Mangles received a message that Netty, having a headache, had gone to her room.  Miss Cahere had never given way to that weakness, which is, or was, euphoniously called the emotions.  She was not old-fashioned in that respect.

But to-night, on regaining her room, she was conscious, for the first time in her life, of a sort of moral shakiness.  She felt as if she might do or say something imprudent.  And she had never felt like that before.  No one in the world could say that she had ever been imprudent.  That which the lenient may call a school-girl escapade—­a mere flight to the garden for a few minutes—­was scarcely sufficient to account for this feeling.  She must be unwell, she thought.  And she decided, with some wisdom, not to submit herself to the scrutiny of Paul Deulin again.

Mr. Mangles had not finished his excellent cigar; and although Miss Mangles did not feel disposed for another of those long, innocent-looking Russian cigarettes offered by Deulin, she had still some views of value to be pressed upon the notice of the inferior sex.

Deulin had been glancing at the clock for some time, and, suspiciously soon after learning that they were not to see Netty again, he announced with regret that he had letters to write, and must take his leave.  Cartoner made no excuse, but departed at the same time.