She has been leaning upon the rails of the balcony, and now draws closer to him.
"Why waste a thought on her?" says she in a low tone that is almost a whisper.
"On her! Who?" asks he quickly, and with an evident start.
"Oh!" with a shrug. "If you don't wish to go into it."
"But into what?"
He frowns. He is feeling very irritable still, in spite of his admiration of her beauty.
She makes a little gesture of contempt.
"If you will not acknowledge me as even your friend."
"You!" says he sharply. "You! Are you my friend?"
There is a pause. She looks away from him. And then——