ignorant child, and almost preposterously
English, as she talked to Madame Sennier, who became voluble in reply.
There was something meridional in her manner and her fluency. Charmian
felt sure that Madame Sennier had risen out of depths about which she,
Charmian, knew nothing. She wondered if this woman loved her husband, or
only loved the genius in him which helped her to rise, which brought her
wealth, influence, even, it seemed, a curious adoration. She wondered,
too, if this woman had known the first Madame Sennier.

Presently Mrs. Shiffney got up. She was apt to be restless.

"May we go and look about outside?" she said.

"Of course. Shall I--"

"No, no. I see you are interested in each other. Two wives of geniuses!
I don't want to spoil it. Come, Jacques, let us explore."

They went away to the court of the goldfish. Max Elliot followed them.
As they went Madame Sennier fixed her eyes for a moment on her departing
husband. In that moment Charmian found out something. Madame Sennier
certainly cared for the man, as well as for the composer. Charmian
fancied that love, that softness for the one, bred hatred, hardness, for
many others, that it was an exclusive and almost terrible love. Now that
she was alone with Madame Sennier, enclosed as it were in that strong
perfume, she felt almost afraid of her. She was conscious of being with
someone far cleverer than herself. And she realized what an effective
weapon in certain hands is an absolute lack of scruple. It seemed to her
as she sat and talked, about Paris, America, London, art, music, that
this woman must have divined her secret and intense ambition. Those
yellow eyes had surely looked into her soul, and knew that she had
brought Claude to Algeria in order that some day he might come forth as
the rival of Jacques Sennier. Almost she felt guilty. She made a strong
effort, and turned the conversation to the subject of the _Paradis
Terrestre_, expressing her enthusiasm for it.

Madame Sennier received the praises with an air of gracious
indifference, as if her husband's opera were now so famous that it was
scarcely worth while to talk about it. This carelessness accentuated
brutally the difference between her position and Charmian's. And it
stung Charmian into indiscretion. Something fiery and impetuous seemed
to rise up in her, something that wanted to fight. She began to speak of
her husband's talent.

Madame Sennier listened politely, as one who listens on