"José," she said, "what in the world possesses you to speak to me this way? Have you any right to assume this attitude—merely because I flirted with you as harmlessly—or meant it harmlessly—"
She glanced involuntarily across the studio where the others had gathered over the new collection of mezzotints, and at her glance Neville raised his head and smiled at her, and encountered Querida's expressionless gaze.
For a moment Querida turned his head away, and Valerie saw that his face was pale and sinister.
"José," she said, "are you insane to take our innocent affair so seriously? What in the world has come over you? We have been such excellent friends. You have been just as nice as you could be, so gay and inconsequential, so witty, so jolly, such good company!—and now, suddenly, out of a perfectly clear sky your wrath strikes me like lightning!"
"My anger is like that."
"José!" she exclaimed, incredulously.
He showed the edge of perfect teeth again, but she was not sure that he was smiling. Then he laughed gently.
"Oh," she said in relief—"you really startled me."
"I won't do it again, Valerie." She looked at him, still uncertain, fascinated by her uncertainty.
The colour—as much as he ever had—returned to his face; he reached over for a cigarette, lighted it, smiled at her charmingly.