"And it has pained you beyond expression!" murmured the young poet. "It must have done so!"
"Naturally," replied Pauline.
"It ... it has made me suffer!" asserted the new visitor, laying one slim, white hand upon the region of his heart.
"Really?" was the answer. "That is very nice and sympathetic of you."
Mr. Prawle regarded her with an unrelaxed and very fervid scrutiny. He now spoke in lowered and emotional tones, leaning toward his hearer so that his slender body made quite an exaggerated curve.
"My whole soul," he said, "is brimming with sympathy!"
Pauline conquered her amazement at this entirely unforeseen outburst.
"Thanks very much," she returned. "Sympathy is always a pleasant thing to receive."
Mr. Prawle, still describing his physical curve, gave a great sigh. "Oh, Mrs. Varick," he murmured, "I should like to kill the man who wrote that horrible article."
"Suppose it were a woman," said Pauline.