“What things?”
“Accidents—and such things. One never knows. It does seem a silly thing to ask, but I have a sudden feeling about it, Yanna. If I should die—or anything should happen—you are to take Emma and bring her up to be good—I mean pious—I mean not like her poor, silly mother. How absurd I am! Whatever is the matter with me? Am I going to be ill, I wonder? Am I going to have a fever?”
“I saw you yesterday on Broadway. What a pretty suit you had on! Mr. Duval was with you.”
“Mr. Duval! Yes. I had forgotten. Yes, I met Dick as I came out of a store, and we walked up a block to Twenty-third Street. Do you know that store under the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where they sell such lovely jewelry? I was going there.”
“I do not think Antony would like you to go anywhere with Mr. Duval.”
“Antony will just have to dislike it then. He has gone as far as I intend to let him. The past two weeks he has wanted me to sit by the cradle, day and night, and night and day. I love my child, but I do want a breath of fresh air sometimes.”
“I was speaking of Mr. Duval.”
“Harry has also been speaking of Mr. Duval this morning. I told Harry to mind his own affairs. I say the same to you, Yanna. It is too much, when a married woman cannot speak to an old friend, cannot walk three or four blocks with him, without having her whole family suspect her immediately of breaking—or at least cracking—the ten commandments.”
“You know how Antony feels about that Duval.”