'Has Crack said anything unkind?' he asked gently, while Crack beat his tail in the depths of the fur rug in courteous recognition of his own name.
'No,' she said, turning her head away.
'Have I, then?' sitting down by her.
'No.'
'Then, my child, what is it?'
'Nothing,' she said faintly.
There was a pause.
'Is it the same nothing that troubled you the night of the ball?'
He saw her start and shrink away from him.