She admired him most of all, perhaps, for being able to convey as distinct a sense of superiority as the richest man she had ever met.
It was the unconscious prolongation of this thought which led her to say presently, with a laugh: "I have broken two engagements for you today.
How many have you broken for me ?" "None," said Selden calmly.

"My only engagement at Bellomont was with you." She glanced down at him, faintly smiling.
"Did you really come to Bellomont to see me ?" "Of course I did." Her look deepened meditatively.

"Why ?" she murmured, with an accent which took all tinge of coquetry from the question.
"Because you're such a wonderful spectacle: I always like to see what you are doing." "How do you know what I should be doing if you were not here ?" Selden smiled.

"I don't flatter myself that my coming has deflected your course of action by a hair's breadth." "That's absurd--since, if you were not here, I could obviously not be taking a walk with you." "No; but your taking a walk with me is only another way of making use of your material.

You are an artist and I happen to be the bit of colour you are using today.