"I wish I could," he declared.
"General!" I cried in protest; to let him see that I understood. I had given him the opening intentionally, but had scarcely expected he would take such immediate advantage of it.
We both laughed; he with a suggestion of triumph.
"If I am not to go, we had better set the men and start a new game," I said, and began to arrange the pieces for the game.
"I don't wish to play. I wish to talk," he declared, and then very abruptly he got up and began to walk about the room, until he stopped suddenly close to me. I knew what was coming then.
"Do you know why I wished you to come here to-day?"
"Yes, I think so—but don't ask it." I was very serious and met his eyes frankly.
"How quick you are, and how daring. Any other woman would have been afraid to say that—afraid of being thought conceited. Why shouldn't I ask it?"
"I don't want to lose one out of the only friends I have in Pesth, perhaps the only one, General. And—other reasons."
He looked down at me and sighed. "Just now——" he began, when I interrupted him.