"God forgive me!" she thought, and held her handkerchief pressed against her lips to stop her giggling. Had not Frau Jula said, "Laugh at him; laugh at him pitilessly with all your might"?
For his part he seemed to accept her suppressed laughter as an allurement, a gentle signal to cut short ceremonious preliminaries, for he chose this moment for springing at her and laying his arms about her waist.
She repulsed his attack fiercely and struggled with him. Tears of humiliation and fury coursed down her cheeks.
"Have I come to this?" a voice cried within her as she struck at him with her fists. In the midst of the tussle she succeeded in reaching the bell.
The maid-servant came in. He picked up his hat from the floor and, murmuring something that sounded like "Canaille!" disappeared.
He disappeared too for ever from the little circle, which he had at times honoured with his presence.
Lilly gave up attempting to scale the heights.
CHAPTER XI
During the year that followed, Lilly engaged in two small love adventures, which had no influence on her subsequent life.