She shrugged her shoulders, whilst a slightly contemptuous curl appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"How like a man!" she said impatiently.
"What is like a man?" he retorted. "To love—as I love you?"
He had whispered this, hardly above his breath lest he should be overheard by some one in that gay and giddy throng who passed laughingly by. The stern expression in her eyes softened a little as they met his eager gaze, but the good-humoured contempt was still apparent, even in her smile; she saw that as he spoke he looked through the outspread fingers of his hand to see if he was being watched, and noted that one pair of eyes, distant the whole length of the room, caught the movement, then was instantly averted.
"Mlle. de Saint Romans is watching you," she said quietly.
He seemed surprised and not a little vexed that she had noticed, and for a moment looked confused; then he said carelessly:
"Why should she not? Why should not the whole world look on, and see that I adore you?"
"Meseems you protest over-much, Gaston," she said, with a sigh.
"Impossible!"
"You talk of love too lightly."