"It is not a moment for sneers.

Of what would you warn me ?" "I have told you before, but you took it badly." "Words--words," says he, frowning.
"Would you have deeds ?" She breaks into a low laugh.

"Oh, how foolish you are! Why don't you let things go ?" "What did you mean ?" persists he icily.
"What a tragic tone!" Her manner is all changed; she is laughing now.

"Well, what _did_ I mean?
That your wife---- Stay!" with a little comic uplifting of her beautiful shoulders and an exaggerated show of fear, "do not assault me again.

That your wife has shown the bad taste to prefer her cousin--her old lover--to you!" "As I said, words, mere words," returns he, with a forced smile.
"Because she speaks to him, dances with him, is civil to him, as she is civil to all guests----" "Is she _just as_ civil to all her guests ?" "I think so.