"
"The man you love, my dear," said I, "will doubtless do it."
She made a little grimace.
"Oh, then, I shall have to wait such a long time."
"You needn't," said I, taking her hands again and speaking very
seriously. "Can't you learn to love a man, give him your whole
heart and all your best and sweetest thoughts?"
"I would marry any nice man if you gave me to him," she answered.
"It would not matter who he was? Anyone would do?"
"Why, of course," said Carlotta.
"And any one wanting to marry you could kiss you as you kissed
Polyphemus."
"Oh-h, he would have to be nice--not like Mustapha."
I turned away with a sigh and lit a cigarette, while Carlotta
curled herself up on the sofa and inspected her face and necklace
in the silver mirror. In a moment she was talking to the cat,
who had jumped on her lap and with arched back was rubbing
himself against her.
Soon the touch of sadness was lost in the happy sight of her and
the happy thought that my house was no longer left to me
desolate. We laughed away the evening.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260