"A fool," he murmured bitterly, his gaze on the parquetry.
"I quite agree with you," she rejoined promptly. "And why?"
"Because I love you."
"Not at all. Because you don't love Katinka Aksakoff."
"What has that to do with this?" he said gloomily.
"Everything. She is free and I am not; she loves you, and I don't; she will do you good, I shall do you harm; she can gain your pardon and make your fortune----"
"And you can make me happy," cried Demetrius, looking up with the air of one who has found a clinching argument.
"With the crumbs from my husband's table?"
"You don't love him!"
The British-matron portion of Leah revolted against this plain speaking. She liked sugar-coated speeches. "You have no right to say that."