"What did I say? Oh, now I remember—I spoke of my poor Lysson, and myself, and——"
"You advised me not to play at the game with Lady Dora—now I like daring all, Lady Dora; will you show me how you play 'cat's cradle?'" and he took a piece of twisted silk from the table.
"I don't know the game," she answered coldly.
"I daresay Lady Lysson will instruct us; will you not?" and he held the silk towards her.
"Willingly, beneath my own eye," she replied.
"Not beyond?"
"No! Lady Dora might use her feline qualities upon you."
"Oh! I should little care," he answered pointedly, "to alter slightly the words of a talented, most unfortunate, and I believe most innocent woman, Madame Laffarge, if Lady Dora scratch me like a cat, so she will but love me like a dog."
There was a dead silence of a moment—Lady Dora interrupted it by an allusion to the first portion of his speech, not seeming to have noticed the latter.
"Do you believe Madame Laffarge was innocent?"