"Yes. Have you given her any reason—just lately—to dislike you personally, to hate you perhaps?"
"What should make you think so?"
"Please answer me!" Her voice had grown sharp.
"Perhaps I have. But please don't ask me anything more, Charmian. If you do, I cannot answer you."
"Now I understand!" she exclaimed, almost passionately.
"What?"
"Why she turned down her thumb at the opera."
"But—"
"Claude, she did, she did! You know she did! There was not one real word for you from either her or Mr. Ramer, not one! We've had her verdict. But what is it worth? Nothing! Less than nothing! You've told me why. All her cleverness, all her discrimination has failed her, just because—oh, we women are contemptible sometimes! It's no use our pretending we aren't. Claude, I'm glad—I'm thankful you've made her hate you. And I know how!"
"Hush! Don't let us talk about it."