"Arthur, tell me! Is there no other way, absolutely no other? Must you go with this creature?"
A pause while the returning waiter set before them tea and a cocktail.
Then the young man's voice, wearied and irritable.
"I tell you I've got to live. And I can't live on air."
Another long pause and Esther began to fear they would say no more. She had become so interested, too, it seemed a shame. After a wait of at least three minutes the woman spoke once more in an altered, quieter tone:
"I forgot to tell you something. Yesterday I went again to
Fleuristine. You remember Fleurestine?"
"Oh, that woman!"
"Oh, I know you don't believe in her, but … well, anyhow, yesterday she went into a trance. She was quite, quite unconscious. She saw things. She saw Charles…"
"Oh, she did, did she?"
As if moved by a common impulse, both turned and took a brief survey of the neighbouring tables. On Esther they bent but a casual glance. She was apparently quite absorbed in the contents of her bag.
"She saw him in bed, ill, very ill. There was a nurse beside him."