Nerina made a little gesture with her hands.
“You make it all sound – very easy,” she quavered, “but I am doubtful.”
“Then I shall have to convince you that I know best. Shall I tell you how I will do it? Come here!”
His words were a command, but Nerina made no effort to obey him.
She tried to smile.
“What do you want of me?” she asked.
“I will tell you when you come to me,” the Marquis replied.
Nerina shook her head.
“You frighten me. You are so used to giving orders and having people obey them. What would you do if for a change someone disobeyed you?”
“Perhaps I should punish them,” the Marquis answered, “perhaps I should find another way of convincing them that I was right. You see, sooner or later I always get what I want. You ran away from me once, but now we have met again a
