“But he’s a vicious brute. Besides, there are other reasons for avoiding Herr Kreisler. You know the reason of his behaviour the other night? It was it appears, because Anastasya Vasek snubbed him. He was nearly the same when the Fogs wouldn’t take an interest in him. He can’t leave women alone. He follows them about and annoys them, and then becomes—well, as you saw him the other night—when he’s shaken off. He is impossible. He is not a person who can be accepted by anybody.”
“Where did you hear all that? I don’t think that Fräulein Vasek’s story is true. I am certain⸺”
“Well, he once was like that with me. He began hanging round, and—You know the story of his engagement?”
“What engagement?”
“He was engaged to a girl and she married his father instead of marrying him.”
Bertha struggled a moment, a little baffled.
“Well, what is there in that? I’ve known several cases⸺”
“Yes. That by itself⸺”
Elsa Kinderbach was quite undisturbed. Her information had been coldly given. She had argued sweepingly, as though talking to a child, and following some reasonable resolve formed during her earlier silent scrutiny.—In a few moments Bertha returned to the charge.