"For you, but not for your eloquence. Do you understand what I mean by the difference?" Mrs. Gereth asked as she stood stirring her tea.
Fleda, to postpone answering, looked round, while she drank it, at the beautiful room. "I don't in the least like, you know, your having taken so much. It was a great shock to me, on my arrival here, to find you had done so."
"Give me some more tea," said Mrs. Gereth; and there was a moment's silence as Fleda poured out another cup. "If you were shocked, my dear, I'm bound to say you concealed your shock."
"I know I did. I was afraid to show it."
Mrs. Gereth drank off her second cup. "And you're not afraid now?"
"No, I'm not afraid now."
"What has made the difference?"
"I've pulled myself together." Fleda paused; then she added: "And I've seen Mr. Owen."
"You've seen Mr. Owen"—Mrs. Gereth concurred. She put down her cup and sank into a chair, in which she leaned back, resting her head and gazing at her young friend. "Yes, I did tell you a while ago that for you I'd do it. But you haven't told me yet what you'll do in return."
Fleda thought an instant. "Anything in the wide world you may require."