"It was because of that he died."
"So everybody thinks."
"And how do you account for it?" she asked, looking at me keenly.
"I have no more idea than yourself."
She laughed; and a hard forced laugh it was. Then she got up from her chair and walked twice up and down the room in dead silence. She stopped in front of me and stared down into my eyes.
"Alexis, do you really love me?"
The question was an exceedingly unpleasant one and filled me with disgust.
"Surely this is no time for us to speak of such things," I said.
"Do you love me, Alexis," she repeated.
"I will not answer now," I said, rising.