"Then why go amongst them?" I asked. "You are surely at liberty to do as
you choose!"
Mr. de Valentin took up his case and chose another cigarette.
"In this instance," he said coldly, "I am not entirely my own master.
There were powerful reasons why I should have taken this voyage to
America, and there are reasons why I should have done so with Mrs. Van
Reinberg. Which brings me, by the bye, to the second matter concerning
which I wished to speak to you."
I accepted another of Mr. de Valentin's excellent cigarettes, and
composed myself once more to listen.
"I am going to Lenox," he continued, "to meet there a few American
friends, with whom I have certain affairs of importance to discuss. You,
also, have been invited to Lenox. My request is that you defer your visit
there until after my departure."
I raised my eyebrows at this. It seemed to me that Mr. de Valentin was
going a little too far.
"May I inquire," I asked politely, "in what respect you find my presence
there undesirable? We are not bound, I presume, to come much into contact
with one another.
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