"But I assure you, Lord Henry," she protested, "I am not trying to mislead you."
"Come, Miss Delarayne, come!" he remonstrated. Then he added, after a pause, "But perhaps I am wrong in assuming that you should feel any confidence in me. After all, why should you?"
She had never yet been in the presence of a man who inspired such complete confidence, or who made her desire so ardently to be up and about, active and well in his presence. Nevertheless her indomitable pride made her moderate the manner of her reply.
"What can I say?" she exclaimed, pretending to be at the end of her resources.
He flicked an imaginary feather from his knee. "Shall I prompt you?" he enquired.
His coolness at once mastered and terrified her.
"How can you!" she ejaculated, her resistance failing.
"Why haven't you told me, for instance," he began, "that you have scarcely slept for five or six nights."
Her mouth fell. "Lord Henry!"
"Why haven't you said that last night, or perhaps for the last two nights, you have tried a certain narcotic without much success? Sleep is a very essential thing, Miss Delarayne. One cannot go without it with impunity. You probably realise that."