"No," said Miss Benham, moving the things about on the tea-table before her, and looking down at them. "No, not at all!"
"You came oddly close to the truth," the man went on, turning back to Baron de Vries. He was speaking for Helen Benham's ears, and he knew she would understand that, but he did not wish to seem to be watching her.
"I was with Ste. Marie on that evening," he said. "No! I wasn't riding a pig, but I was standing down in the crowd throwing serpentines at the people who were. And I happen to know that he—that Ste. Marie was on that day, that evening, more deeply concerned about something, more absolutely wrapped up in it, devoted to it, than I have ever known him to be about anything since I first knew him. The galloping pig was an incident that made, except for the moment, no impression whatever upon him." Hartley nodded his head.
"Yes," said he, "Ste. Marie can be an angel one moment and a child playing with toys the next. When he sees toys he always plays with them, and he plays hard, but when he drops them they go completely out of his mind."
The American lady laughed.
"Gracious me!" she cried. "You two are emphatic enough about him, aren't you?"
"We know him," said Baron de Vries. Hartley rose to replace his empty cup on the tea-table. Miss Benham did not meet his eyes, and as he moved away again she spoke to her friend about something they were going to do on the next day, so Hartley went across to where Baron de Vries sat at a little distance, and took a place beside him on the chaise longue. The Belgian greeted him with raised eyebrows and the little half-sad half-humorous smile which was characteristic of him in his gentler moments.
"You were defending our friend with a purpose," he said in a low voice. "Good! I am afraid he needs it—here." The younger man hesitated a moment. Then he said—
"I came on purpose to do that. Ste. Marie knows that she saw him on that confounded pig. He was half wild with distress over it because—well, the meeting was singularly unfortunate, just then. I can't explain——"
"You needn't explain," said the Belgian gravely. "I know. Helen told me some days since, though she did not mention this encounter. Yes, defend him with all your power, if you will. Stay after we others have gone and—have it out with her. The Phidias lady (I must remember that mot, by the way) is preparing to take her leave now, and I will follow her at once. She shall believe that I am enamoured—that I sigh for her.