I suppose nobody had the insolence to tell you
that to your face."

"Well, very nearly. It was what it amounted to. I am not stupid. There
is no need to spell out simple words for me. It just came out. Don Juan
struggled desperately to keep the truth in. It was most pathetic. And
yet he couldn't help himself. He talked very much like a parrot."

"Of the best society," I suggested.

"Yes, the most honourable of parrots. I don't like parrot-talk. It
sounds so uncanny. Had I lived in the Middle Ages I am certain I would
have believed that a talking bird must be possessed by the devil. I am
sure Therese would believe that now. My own sister! She would cross
herself many times and simply quake with terror."

"But you were not terrified," I said. "May I ask when that interesting
communication took place?"

"Yesterday, just before you blundered in here of all days in the year. I
was sorry for him."

"Why tell me this? I couldn't help noticing it. I regretted I hadn't my
umbrella with me."

"Those unforgiven tears! Oh, you simple soul! Don't you know that
people never cry for anybody but themselves? . . . _Amigo_ George, tell
me--what are we doing in this world?"

"Do you mean all the people, everybody?"

"No, only people like you and me. Simple people, in this world which is
eaten up with charlatanism of all sorts so that even we, the simple,
don't know any longer how to trust each other."

"Don't we? Then why don't you trust him? You are dying to do so, don't
you know?"

She dropped her chin on her breast and from under her straight eyebrows
the deep blue eyes remained fixed on me, impersonally, as if without
thought.

"What have you been doing since you left me yesterday?" she asked.

"The first thing I remember I abused your sister horribly this morning."

"And how did she take it?"

"Like a warm shower in spring. She drank it all in and unfolded her
petals."

"What poetical expressions he uses! That girl is more perverted than one
would think possible, considering what she is and whence she came. It's
true that I, too, come from the same spot."

"She is slightly crazy. I am a great favourite with her. I don't say
this to boast."

"It must be very comforting."

"Yes, it has cheered me immensely. Then after a morning of delightful
musings on one thing and another I went to lunch with a charming lady and
spent most of the afternoon talking with her."

Dona Rita raised he