Her brows were knitted, her eyes were fixed upon a distant spot
in the forest landscape of orange and red. Yet I was very sure that at
that moment, the wonderful autumnal tints, which she seemed to be so
steadily regarding, held no place in her thoughts.
"Mr. Courage," she said at last, "you are a sensible man, and a man of
honor. I should like to talk to you confidentially."
I murmured something about being flattered, but I do not think that she
heard me.
"I should like," she continued, "to have you understand certain things
which are in my mind just now, and which concern also--Mr. de Valentin."
I nodded. The Prince's identity was an open secret, but his incognito was
jealously observed.
"I wonder," she said slowly, looking for the first time directly towards
me, "whether you have ever seriously considered the question of the
American woman--such as myself, for instance!"
I was a little puzzled, and no doubt I looked it. Mrs. Van Reinberg
proceeded calmly. It was made clear to me that, for the present, at any
rate, my role was to be simply that of listener.
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