“Aha!” the Count cried. “Now you will have to be more careful than ever! Buying pictures is one thing, but, when a very pretty girl is concerned in the sale, it is always extremely risky!”
“You are a cynic!” the Marquis countered.
“That accusation comes well from you,” the Count retorted, “when you have been one for years!”
The Marquis knew that this was true.
At the moment he was indeed cynical after the way he had been treated by the two women he was trying so hard to forget.
Then he remembered Lela’s blue eyes and the undoubted look of fear in them. And the way her hands had trembled.
‘Why should she be so frightened?’ he asked himself as he had done ever since she had left him.
“Having told you the good news about your pictures,” the Count now said, “I also have some bad, althou
