“And I always choose the evening to come to Dolf’s.”
“So that explains why we have never met.”
They were silent for a moment. It seemed to him that she spoke very coldly.
“I should love to go to the opera!” murmured Jules, without opening his eyes. “Or no, after all, I think I would rather not.”
“Dolf told me that you read a great deal,” Quaerts continued. “Do you keep in touch with modern literature?”
“A little. I don’t read so very much.”
“No?”
“Oh, no! I have two children; that leaves me very little time for reading. Besides, it has no particular fascination for me: life is much more romantic than any novel.”
“So you are a philosopher?”
“I? Oh, no, I assure you, Mr. Quaerts! I am the most commonplace woman in the world.”