"Quite right—quite right," said the Count, hastily. "And then——?"
"Then she left."
"But what—what is the reason of her wishing to leave the stage?"
"I don't know."
"Had she heard any—any news, for example?"
"I don't know."
"Why, Melton, what a fellow you are!" cried the Count, peevishly. "I'm sure you could easily have found out, if you cared, what she meant by it."
"I tell you I was quite dumfoundered—"
"And she said nothing about any news—or her prospects—or a change——?"
"Nothing. From what she said, I gathered that she had come to dislike acting, and that she was convinced her future career would be wretched, both for herself and the house. You have never asked me about the theatre at all. The first two or three nights the curiosity of people to see her in the new part gave us some good business; but now the papers have changed their tune, and the public——"