She laughed derisively. "Why do you tell me such nonsense?"

"Nonsense!" he said. "Nonsense!"

"Lies would be the more fitting term."

"I do not understand."

"No—there is your trouble; you do not know if I kept the rendezvous, so you play it as if you did!"

"As if I did!" he repeated.

She laughed again. "I suppose you will be averring that you do not understand me."

He bowed. "Pray explain," he said.

"It is for you to explain. I kept the rendezvous; you did not."

He tried to look his surprise. "You kept the rendezvous?"