e, else I shall think you are afraid of me. I expected that
you would have come to see me, to find fault with me for my
performance yesterday evening. Tell me frankly--didn't I sing badly?"

"Very badly," returned Arpad, discontentedly. "You are going back
instead of forward; and you seem to forget all you learn. I was quite
ashamed of you. And your acting! I thought I was looking at an
automaton."

"To tell you the truth, I was in a miserable state of mind; I had
several domestic troubles. I am separated from Kaulmann."

"That was no reason to sing false; he wasn't worth risking your
engagement for, and playing in such a perfunctory manner--singing,
too, all out of tune. You never troubled yourself much about him."
(Arpad knew nothing of what had happened to Kaulmann; the news had not
penetrated to Montmartre.) "And, at all events, you should have had
the discretion not to order a shower of bouquets when you were doing
so badly; it doesn't look well."

Eveline was very much wounded at this unjust accusation. She answered,
almost crying:

"I beg to assure you I have never ordered bouquets to be thrown to
me."

"Well, it was one of your adorers, that crazy prince. It is all the
same thing. To be handsome, to sing badly, and to receive wreaths,
those are three sins rolled into one. The world cannot distinguish
between them."

"Very well; go on finding fault, go on scolding, my excellent old
master. What else have I done that is displeasing to you?"

Arpad began to laugh, and held out his hand to Eveline.

"Forgive me," he said. "My roughness is only the grumble of the
preceptor; it is over. Now we shall be young again and chat. Shall I
fetch the draught-board? Shall we play for love or for nothing?"

This tone warmed Eveline's heart. She laughed, and slapped Arpad's
hand, which he did not like.

"What are you going to do now you have got rid of Kaulmann?" he said.
"Will you marry again? Is another man ready for the yoke? Men are as
plentiful as blackberries. Or are you going to preserve the autonomy
of the actress?"

Eveline cast down her eyes and grew suddenly grave.

"I have no one," she said, sorrowfully.

"Ah, that does not mean that there are not plenty you can have if you
like."

"It means the same thing. I shall belong to no one. I shall never take
a husband who is above me in station. Do you see, the girl who went
barefoot in the coal-mine must stay in her own class. If I could give
any one a