“I never knew we had ceased to be so,” she answered, colouring a little.
“Hem! Towards the close of the evening, in spite of what you may say to the contrary.”
“Say, rather, in spite of myself. Believe me, Leo, I was not morose out of caprice; I was troubled and anxious. I saw my manner displeased you, but I was afraid that to flatter grandfather’s weakness you were suffering yourself to become his dupe.”
“And even in that case I could not permit you to interfere.”
“You had told me you were poor, that you must economize, and then to squander your money in such a way in our house—it seemed to me like card-sharping.”
“No, no; nothing of the sort. But supposing it had been, you have tact enough to understand that it was beneath my dignity to take the money back.”
“That’s true, I am of your opinion; but I warned you beforehand that my manners were bad.”
“I think it less a question of bad manners than a certain arrogance, a certain despotism——”
“Well, then, pardon the arrogance, the despotism,” she said jestingly; “still, if I confess you were in the right and that I deserve correction, will you on your part acknowledge that you are making somewhat too much ado about a little mistake?”
“But you, who are so proud, how can you suppose that a man will consent to be protected by a woman?”