第56章 THE INDISCRETION OF THE MARCHIONESS(2)

"Friends," she exclaimed, "Lady Ruth and I? There was never a woman in this world who was less my friend--especially now!"He asked for no explanation of her last words, but in a moment or two she vouchsafed it. She leaned a little forward, her eyes flashed softly through the semi-darkness.

"Lady Ruth is afraid," she said quietly, "that I might take you away from her.""My dear lady," he protested, "the slight friendship between Lady Ruth and myself is not of the nature to engender such a fear."She shrugged her beautiful shoulders. Her hands were toying with the rope of pearls which hung from her neck. She bent over them, as though examining the color of the stones.

"How long have you known Ruth?" she asked quietly.

He looked at her steadfastly. He could not be sure whether it was his fancy, or whether indeed there was some hidden meaning in her question.

"Since I came to live in England," he answered.

"Ah!"

There was a moment's silence. Then with a little wave of her hands and a brilliant smile, she figuratively dismissed the subject.

"We waste time," she remarked lightly, "and we may have callers at any moment.

I will ask you no more questions save those which the conventions may permit you to answer truthfully. We can't depart from our code, can we, even for the sake of an inquisitive woman?""I can assure you--" he began.

"But I will have no assurances, she interrupted smilingly. "I am going to talk of other things. I am going to ask you a ridiculous question. Are you fond of music?--seriously!""I believe so," he answered. "Why?"

"Because," she answered, "I sometimes wonder what there is in the world that interests you! Certainly, none of the ordinary things seem to. Tonight, almost for the first time, I saw you look a little drawn out of yourself. I was wondering whether it was the music or the people. I suppose, until one gets used to it," she added, looking a little wearily around the house, "an audience like this is worth looking at.""It certainly is not the people," he said. "Do you make as close a study of all your acquaintances?""Naturally not," she answered, "and I do not class you amongst my acquaintances at all. You interest me, my friend--very much indeed!""I am flattered," he murmured.

"You are not--I wish that you were," she answered simply. "I can understand why you have succeeded where so many others have failed. You are strong. You have nerves of steel--and very little heart. But now--what are you going to do with your life, now that wealth must even have lost its meaning to you? Ishould like to know that. Will you tell me?"

"What is there to do?" he asked. "Eat and drink, and juggle a little with the ball of fate.""You are not ambitious?"

"Not in the least."