“Hush, Moll! You mustn’t say these things.”
The girl was seized with a violent attack of coughing.
“Betty—I just wanted to be a genius—to be talked about. At heart I only wanted to be an artist in order to make a name. It was the name. Now—I have awaked to find—I am a woman. I—have—only a little while—a little, little life. I know it. Why fear it? Don’t shake your head, Betty, dear heart—the doctors broke it to me this morning.... But—I would just like to have—played—with a child——”
Betty laughed softly:
“Oho! mistress Molly,” said she—“so there’s a man—at last!”
Betty turned up the girl’s face between her hands:
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Eustace Lovegood.”
Betty bent down and kissed her:
“You happy thing!” she said. “And how on earth did you come across Eustace Lovegood?”