The corners of her lips trembled in a sad little smile, which, invulnerable as he felt himself to be, sent a stab to his soul. He must be severe, but not too rough with her.
"You must not misunderstand me, Felicitas," he continued, in a softer tone. "We haven't met here to make sugary speeches, or to burrow in the old ashes. We must be open and frank with each other, however painful it may be. I intend to hurt you very much."
She breathed more freely. This unqualified declaration of hostilities seemed to soothe her. Then she drooped her beautiful head humbly.
"First of all," he went on, "so that there may be no cross purposes between us, I ask you--have you any regrets for what once existed between us?"
"I don't know what you mean," she said softly.
"Have you--have you, in short, an atom of liking left for me?"
She closed her eyes and shook her head wearily and slowly, like a sick woman.
"You may make your mind quite easy on that point," she said, still with half-closed lids. "There is no man in the world I detest as much as you."
"It is not necessary to go quite so far," he answered, with a forced laugh. "What happened between us was only what was bound to happen, as a natural course, after we had once----"
He stopped short, feeling dimly that he was giving confused expression to his thoughts; and then pulling himself together with an effort, he went on--