"
"And yet you don't mind having tea with me?"
Daphne Wing, who had begun to eat and drink, said with her mouth full:
"You see, I'm independent now, and I know life. That makes you
harmless."
Fiorsen stretched out his hand and seized hers just where her little
warm pulse was beating very steadily. She looked at it, changed her fork
over, and went on eating with the other hand. Fiorsen drew his hand away
as if he had been stung.
"Ah, you HAVE changed--that is certain!"
"Yes; you wouldn't expect anything else, would you? You see, one doesn't
go through that for nothing. I think I was a dreadful little fool--" She
stopped, with her spoon on its way to her mouth--"and yet--"
"I love you still, little Daphne."
She slowly turned her head toward him, and a faint sigh escaped her.
"Once I would have given a lot to hear that."
And turning her head away again, she picked a large walnut out of her
cake and put it in her mouth.
"Are you coming to see my studio? I've got it rather nice and new. I'm
making twenty-five a week; my next engagement, I'm going to get thirty.
I should like Mrs. Fiorsen to know--Oh, I forgot; you don't like me to
speak of her! Why not? I wish you'd tell me!" Gazing, as the attendant
had, at his furious face, she went on: "I don't know how it is, but I'm
not a bit afraid of you now. I used to be. Oh, how is Count Rosek? Is
he as pale as ever? Aren't you going to have anything more? You've had
hardly anything.
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