“Only other people deceive themselves more successfully?”
“Yes. How you understand!” She smiled, and made a movement of confidence toward him. “Is it true that you are hungry?”
“Very true.” He rose and stood beside her, smiling down into her upturned face. “Are you about to offer the vagabond a few crumbs from the rich man’s table?”
“The rich man is gone. But his goods remain; and I can offer you the food that is necessary even to a dreamer. Sit down. I will get it for you.” She went to the tall lamp behind the card table and turned it on.
“The Lord bless ye, kind leddy. It’s a good deed ye are doin’ this day.”
She laughed.
“It’s a fair exchange. You give me a new experience. I give you food.”
“A rare experience to me, if not exactly a new one,” he retorted cheerily. “It will be very wonderful to be waited on by you—to eat your supper—surrounded by these—er—beautiful and priceless—that is to say, high-priced—objets d’art.”
In following her toward the dining-room door, he passed the bookcase with its central ornament, the jade-and-gold Buddha.
“Oh, I say!” he exclaimed. “Here is something!” Catching it up he ran toward the nearest light with it, and thereby re-awakened Rosamond’s fears. She flew for her weapon. He put the Buddha back in its place and came to her.