'What put that into your head?'
'It isn't in my head—it's in my heart, my cœur de mère. We guess those things. You think he's selfish—I could see it last night.'
'Dear lady,' I said, 'I have no general ideas about him at all. He is just one of the phenomena I am going to observe. He seems to me a very fine young man. However,' I added, 'since you have mentioned last night I will admit that I thought he rather tantalised you. He played with your suspense.'
'Why, he came at the last just to please me,' said Mrs. Nettlepoint.
I was silent a moment. 'Are you sure it was for your sake?'
'Ah, perhaps it was for yours!'
'When he went out on the balcony with that girl perhaps she asked him to come,' I continued.
'Perhaps she did. But why should he do everything she asks him?'
'I don't know yet, but perhaps I shall know later. Not that he will tell me—for he will never tell me anything: he is not one of those who tell.'