to bridge over that sad estrangement ?" His massive figure seemed, while she spoke thus to him, to stiffen still more, the strong mouth hardened, a look of relentless obstinacy crept into the habitually lazy blue eyes.
"With what object, I pray you, Madame ?" he asked coldly.
"I do not understand you." "Yet 'tis simple enough," he said with sudden bitterness, which seemed literally to surge through his words, though he was making visible efforts to suppress it, "I humbly put the question to you, for my slow wits are unable to grasp the cause of this, your ladyship's sudden new mood.

Is it that you have the taste to renew the devilish sport which you played so successfully last year?
Do you wish to see me once more a love-sick suppliant at your feet, so that you might again have the pleasure of kicking me aside, like a troublesome lap-dog ?" She had succeeded in rousing him for the moment: and again she looked straight at him, for it was thus she remembered him a year ago.
"Percy! I entreat you!" she whispered, "can we not bury the past ?" "Pardon me, Madame, but I understood you to say that your desire was to dwell in it." "Nay! I spoke not of THAT past, Percy!" she said, while a tone of tenderness crept into her voice.

"Rather did I speak of a time when you loved me still! and I.

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