“Yes. Thursday. May I come?”
“I am flattered speechless.”
He rather felt than saw her turn toward him in her chair, then subside in silence.
He leaned over, closer:
“I want you; I didn’t realise how much I wished to talk to you,” he said. “I want you to come and dine at the house, Eris, and tell me everything you care to. Will you?”
After a while, slowly: “I need to ... if you’ll let me.... You don’t seem to understand how much you mean to me. I never before talked to a man like you. I’ve been wild to see you again——”
“What!”
“You know it!” she said passionately. “You fascinate me! If you’ll only talk to me, sometimes, I can learn something!”
“I’ll talk to you until you find out what a fraud I am,” he whispered, still laughing. “On your own bobbed head be it! I’m not proof against such charming flattery as yours. Is it to be Thursday, then?”
“Please!—And thank you so much——”