第6部分(第2/7 頁)

ou；　was　he　not？〃

Kettering　took　her　sharply　by　the　shoulders。

〃That　is　a　damned　lie；〃　he　said；　〃and　please　remember　that；　after　all；　you　are　speaking　of　my　wife。〃

Mirelle　was　a　little　sobered。

〃You　are　extraordinary；　you　English；〃　she　plained。　〃All　the　same；　I　dare　say　that　you　may　be　right。　The　Americans　are　so　cold；　are　they　not？　But　you　will　permit　me　to　say；　mon　ami；　that　she　was　in　love　with　him　before　she　married　you；　and　her　father　stepped　in　and　sent　the　te　about　his　business。　And　the　little　Mademoiselle；　she　wept　many　tears！　But　she　obeyed。　Still；　you　must　know　as　well　as　I　do；　Dereek；　that　it　is　a　very　different　story　now。　She　sees　him　nearly　every　day；　and　on　the　fourteenth　she　goes　to　Paris　to　meet　him。〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　this？〃　demanded　Kettering。

〃Me？　I　have　friends　in　Paris；　my　dear　Dereek；　who　know　the　te　intimately。　It　is　all　arranged。　She　is　going　to　the　Riviera；　so　she　says；　but　in　reality　the　te　meets　her　in　Paris　and　…　who　knows！　Yes；　yes；　you　can　take　my　word　for　it；　it　is　all　arranged。〃

Derek　Kettering　stood　motionless。

〃You　see；〃　purred　the　dancer；　〃if　you　are　clever；　you　have　her　in　the　hollow　of　your　hand。　You　can　make　things　very　awkward　for　her。〃

〃Oh；　for　God's　sake　be　quiet；〃　cried　Kettering。　〃Shut　your　cursed　mouth！〃

Mirelle　flung　herself　down　again　on　the　divan　with　a　laugh。　Kettering　caught　up　his　hat　and　coat　and　left　the　flat；　banging　the　door　violently。　And　still　the　dancer　sat　on　the　divan　and　laughed　softly　to　herself。　She　was　not　displeased　with　her　work。

Chapter　7

LETTERS

〃Mrs　Samuel　Harfield　presents　her　pliments　to　Miss　Katherine　Grey　and　wishes　to　point　out　that　under　the　circumstances　Miss　Grey　may　not　be　aware　…〃

Mrs　Harfield；