"Yes."
"By all means tell me what it is."
"Mon Dieu!" said Gillier. "What is the good of a cloud of words between two men? I want to buy back the libretto I sold to you more than a year ago."
Charmian gazed at her husband. To her surprise his usually sensitive face did not show her what was passing in his mind. Indeed she thought it looked peculiarly inexpressive as he replied:
"Do you? Why?"
"Why? Because I don't think you and I are suited to work together. I don't think we could ever make a satisfactory combination in art. This has been my opinion ever since I was with you at Constantine."
"More than a year ago. And you only come here and say so now!"
Gillier was silent and fidgeted on the divan.
"Surely you must have some other reason?" said Claude in a very quiet, almost unnaturally quiet voice.
"That is one reason, and an excellent one. Another is, however, that if you will consent to sell me back my libretto I believe I could get it taken up by a man, a composer, who is more in sympathy with me and my artistic aims than you could ever be."