"Should I love him for all he has made you suffer?" "You won't wait for what we may hear?" Mrs. Gereth asked.!

Fleda disliked to appear not to take account of his brevity, but it was just because she was struck by it that she felt the pressure of the desire to know more. What it suggested was simply what her intelligence supplied, for he was incapable of any art of insinuation. Wasn't it at all events the rule of communication with him to say for him what he couldn't say? This truth was present to the girl as she inquired if Mona greatly resented what Mrs. Gereth had done. He satisfied her promptly; he was standing before the fire, his back to it, his long legs apart, his hands, behind him, rather violently jiggling his gloves. "She hates it awfully. In fact, she refuses to put up with it at all. Don't you see?—she saw the place with all the things." Fleda stopped in front of her hostess. "I gave him my opinion that you're very logical, very obstinate, and very proud."

"I'm not talking of disgust; I'm talking of its opposite," said Mrs. Gereth. "Oh!" Fleda cried, with a long wail. Then she controlled herself. "I see." "She was sure of you!" Mrs. Gereth returned. But this didn't diminish the satisfaction taken by Fleda in showing how serenely and lucidly she could talk.