"What are you going to say of her ?" "What you"-- deliberately--"do not dare to say, although you know it--that she is absolutely depraved!" _"Depraved!"_ "There--stand back!" She laughs, a strange laugh.

She has shaken herself free from him.

"Fancy your taking it like that!" says she.
She is laughing still, but panting; the pressure of his hands on her arms is still fresh.

"And have you not seen for yourself, then?
Is it not open to all the world to see?
Is no one talking but _me ?_ Why, her flirtation with her cousin is common talk." "Depraved, you said!" He has recovered out of that first wild passion of his, and is now gazing at her with a certain degree of composure.

"Depraved! I will not have that word used.