esentful?"

"I am never resentful. You should know that." He expressed one of his
vanities. He loved to think himself a Stoic. "But I still bear the scar
of a wound that would be the better for the balm of your retraction."

"Why, then, I retract, Andre. And now tell me."

"Yes, a self-seeking retraction," said he. "You give me something that
you may obtain something." He laughed quite pleasantly. "Well, well;
command me."

"Tell me, Andre." She paused, as if in some difficulty, and then went
on, her eyes upon the ground: "Tell me--the truth of that event at the
Feydau."

The request fetched a frown to his brow. He suspected at once the
thought that prompted it. Quite simply and briefly he gave her his
version of the affair.

She listened very attentively. When he had done she sighed; her face was
very thoughtful.

"That is much what I was told," she said. "But it was added that M.
de La Tour d'Azyr had gone to the theatre expressly for the purpose of
breaking finally with La Binet. Do you know if that was so?"

"I don't; nor of any reason why it should be so. La Binet provided him
the sort of amusement that he and his kind are forever craving..."

"Oh, there was a reason," she interrupted him. "I was the reason.
I spoke to Mme. de Sautron. I told her that I would not continue to
receive one who came to me contaminated in that fashion." She spoke
of it with obvious difficulty, her colour rising as he watched her
half-averted face.

"Had you listened to me..." he was beginning, when again she interrupted
him.

"M. de Sautron conveyed my decision to him, and afterwards represented
him to me as a man in despair, repentant, ready to give proofs--any
proofs--of his sincerity and devotion to me. He told me that M. de La
Tour d'Azyr had sworn to him that he would cut short that affair, that
he would see La Binet no more. And then, on the very next day I heard
of his having all but lost his life in that riot at the theatre. He
had gone straight from that interview with M. de Sautron, straight from
those protestations of future wisdom, to La Binet. I was indignant. I
pronounced myself finally. I stated definitely that I would not in any
circumstances receive M. de La Tour d'Azyr again! And then they pressed
this explanation upon me. For a long time I would not believe it."

"So that you believe it now," said Andre quickly. "Why?"

"I have not said that I believe it now. But... but... neither can I
disbelieve. Si