How should I ?" "Then I'll tell you.

This is Mademoiselle Wielitzska, the famous dancer." "Never, sir! Well, I do declare----" "Now, drink this at once, please." The man's voice cut sharply across the impending flow of garrulous interest, and Magda, who had not gathered the actual sense of the murmured conversation, felt an arm pass behind her head, raising it a little, while once more that hateful glass of sal volatile was held to her lips.
Her eyes unclosed fretfully.
"Take it away," she was beginning.
"Drink it! Do you hear?
Do as you're told!" The sharp, authoritative tones startled her into sudden compliance.

She opened her mouth and swallowed the contents of the glass with a gulp.
Then she looked resentfully at the man whose curt command she had obeyed in such unexpected fashion.

Magda Wielitzska was more used to giving orders than to taking them.
"There, that's better," he observed, regarding the empty glass with satisfaction.

"No, lie still"-- as she attempted to rise.