ple are nearly always listened to."

"Listened to?" he said, and felt that he must throw himself on his knees
before her. "You oughtn't to mind being Titania. She was listened to,
you----"

She sprang to her feet and her eyes flashed. "Do you think personal
comment is ever in good taste?" she cried fiercely, and in his surprise
he almost fell off the bench. "If there is one thing I cannot bear,
it is to be told that I am '_small_' I am not! Every one who isn't a
giantess isn't '_small_'. I _hate_ personalities! I am a great deal over
five feet, a great deal more than that. I----"

"Please, _please_," he said, "I didn't----"

"Don't say you are sorry," she interrupted, and in spite of his
contrition he found her angry voice delicious, it was still so sweet,
hot with indignation, but ringing, not harsh. "Don't say you didn't mean
it; because you did! You can't unsay it, you cannot alter it! Ah!" She
drew in her breath with a sharp sigh, and covering her face with her
hands, sank back upon the bench. "I will not cry," she said, not so
firmly as she thought she did.

"My blessed child!" he cried, in great distress and perturbation, "What
have I done? I--I----"

"Call me 'small' all you like!" she answered. "I don't care. It isn't
that. You mustn't think me such an imbecile." She dropped her hands from
her face and shook the tears from her eyes with a mournful laugh. He saw
that her hands were clenched tightly and her lip trembled. "I will not
cry!" she said in a low voice.

"Somebody ought to murder me; I ought to have thought--personalities
_are_ hideous----"

"Don't! It wasn't that."

"I ought to be shot----"

"Ah, please don't say that," she said, shuddering; "please don't, not
even as a joke--after last night."

"But I ought to be for hurting you, indeed----"

She laughed sadly, again. "It wasn't that. I don't care what you call
me. I am small. You'll try to forgive me for being such a baby? I didn't
mean anything I said. I haven't acted so badly since I was a child."

"It's my fault, all of it. I've tired you out. And I let you get into
that crush at the circus--" he was going on, remorsefully.

"_That_!" she interrupted. "I don't think I would have missed the
circus." He had a thrilling hope that she meant the tent-pole; she
looked as if she meant that, but he dared not let himself believe it.

"No," he continued; "I have been so madly happy in being with you that
I've fairly worn out your patience.