"It was very foolish.—she said that then Alexander could marry me. It was so silly of her. Just think!"
After all, Professor Cutter was her father's old friend. She need not have been so long about telling the thing.
"She thinks that you are going to marry Paul?" observed the professor, with an interrogative intonation.
"Well, if I did?" replied the young girl, after a short pause. "If she were in her right mind, would that be any reason for her wishing to murder him?"
"No. But I never believed she was out of danger," said Cutter. "Did she say anything more?"
Hermione told how Madame Patoff had behaved when she had entered the room. Her companion looked very grave, and said little during the few moments they remained in the gallery. He only promised that he would tell no one about it, unless it appeared absolutely necessary for the safety of every one concerned. Then they descended the steps again and joined Chrysophrasia and Paul, who were waiting below.
"Aunt Chrysophrasia says she must go to the bazaar," said the latter.
"Yes," remarked Miss Dabstreak, "I really must. That Jew! Oh, that Jew! He haunts my dreams. I see him at night, dressed like Moses, with a linen ephod, you know, holding up that Persian embroidery. It is more than my soul can bear!"
"But we were going to take Professor Cutter to the other mosques," objected Hermione.
"I am sure he will not mind if we go to the bazaar instead, will you?" she asked, with an engaging squint of her green eyes, as she turned to the professor.