“Well,—­all but a touch or two,” he rejoined—­“I shall ask a few people to come here and see it before it leaves London.  Then it must be property packed in readiness for Paris before—­before I go—­”

Her eyes opened in sudden terrified wonderment.

“Before you go—­where?”

He laughed a little awkwardly.

“Oh—­only a short journey—­on business—­I will explain when we have our talk out—­not now—­in a day or two—­”

He left the easel, and coming to where she sat, lifted her in his arms and folded her close to his breast.

“You sweet soul!” he murmured—­“You little Innocent!  You are so pretty to-day!—­you madden me—­”

He unfastened her hat and put it aside,—­then drawing her closer, showered quick eager kisses on her lips, eyes and warm soft neck.  He felt her heart beating wildly and her whole body trembling under his gust of passion.

“You love me—­you truly love me?” she questioned, between little sighs of pleasure—­“Tell me!—­are you sure?”

“Am I not proving it?” he answered—­“Does a man behave like this if he does not love?”

“Ah, yes!” And she looked up with a wild piteousness in her sweet eyes—­“A man will behave like this to any woman!”

He loosened his clasp of her, astonished—­then laughed.

“Where did you learn that?” he asked—­“Who told you men were so volatile?”

“No one!”—­and her caressing arms fell away from him—­“My Amadis, you find it pleasant to kiss and to embrace me for the moment—­but perhaps not always will you care!  Love—­real love is different—­”

“What do you mean by love?” he asked still smiling.

She sighed.

“I can hardly tell you,” she said—­“But one thing I do know—­love would never hurt or wrong the thing it loved!  Words, kisses, embraces—­they are just the sweet outflow of a great deep!—­but love is above and beyond all these, like an angel living with God!”

He was silent.

She came up to him and laid her little hand timidly on his arm.

“It is time we were quite sure of that angel, my Amadis!” she said—­“We are sure—­but—­”

He looked her full and quietly in the eyes.

“Yes, child!” he answered—­“It is time!  But I cannot talk about angels or anything else just now—­it is growing late in the afternoon and you must not stay here too long.  Come to-morrow or next day, and we’ll consult together as to what is best to be done for your happiness—­”

“For yours!” she interposed, gently.

He smiled, curiously.

“Very well!  As you will!  For mine!”

CHAPTER X