"Leave off crying!" He spoke with the same species of awkward kindliness that characterized his actions, and there must have been something strangely comforting in his speech, for the little dancer's tears ceased as abruptly as they had begun.

She dashed a trembling hand across her eyes.
"Who's crying ?" she said.
He uttered a brief, half-grudging laugh.

"That's better.

Now drink some wine! Yes, I insist! You must eat something, too.

You look half-starved." She accepted the wine, sitting in an acrobatic attitude on the floor facing him.