"And that!"
"I love him!" steadily, but faintly. Her eyes have sought the ground.
"Ah!" says Lady Baltimore.
"It is true"—slowly. "It is equally true—that he—does not love me. Let me then speak. All his sins, believe me, lie behind him. That woman, that friend of yours who told you of his renewed acquaintance with Madame Istray, lied to you! There was no truth in what she said!"
"I can quite understand your not wishing to believe in that story," says Lady Baltimore with an undisguised sneer.
"Like all good women, you can take pleasure in inflicting a wound," says Lady Swansdown, controlling herself admirably. "But do not let your detestation of me blind you to the fact that my words contain truth. If you will listen I can——"
"Not a word," says Lady Baltimore, making a movement with her hands as if to efface the other. "I will have none of your confidences."
"It seems to me"—quickly—"you are determined not to believe."
"You are at liberty to think as you will."
"The time may come," says Lady Swansdown, "when you will regret you did not listen to me to-day."