"What a blood-thirsty set of people you must have been!"
Austin came up with a laugh. "There's a legend among us that once mother was left alone in the house and insisted on having this mace near her bed so as to defend herself against burglars. But why do you leave me to tell the story, Dick?"
Dick clenched his fists, and, muttering something, turned and ascended the gallery above the screen. Viviette followed him.
"You're not doing it at all nicely. I don't think you want to."
"Can you wonder at that?" he said hoarsely.
Viviette played deliciously with the fire.
"Why, aren't we intelligent enough for you?" she asked with childish innocence.
"You know what I mean."
"I haven't the faintest idea. All I know is that you may as well be polite, at any rate."
He laughed. Ordinarily he had little sense of humour; but now he had the flames in his heart and the hell in his throat, and red mist before his eyes.