"
He half rose to his feet. Suddenly she lost control of herself.
"Leonard, Leonard," she cried, "don't you see that you are being
very foolish indeed? You have been good to me. Let me try and
repay it a little. Elizabeth is my sister, but listen! What I
say to you now I say in deadly earnest. Elizabeth has no heart,
she has no thought for other people, she makes use of them and
they count for no more to her than the figures that pass through
one's dreams. She has some sort of hateful gift," Beatrice
continued, and her voice shook and her eyes flashed, "some
hateful gift of attracting people to her and making them do her
bidding, of spoiling their lives and throwing them away when they
have ceased to be useful. Leonard, you must not let her do this
with you."
He rose to his feet awkwardly. Very likely it was all true, and
yet, what difference did it make?
"Thank you," he said.
They stood, for a moment, hand in hand. Then they heard the
sound of a key in the lock.
"Here's Annie coming back!" Beatrice exclaimed.
Tavernake was introduced to Miss Annie Legarde, who thought he
was a very strange person indeed because he did not fit in with
any of the types of men, young or old, of whom she knew anything.
And as for Tavernake, he considered that Miss Annie Legarde would
have looked at least as well in a hat half the size, and much
better without the powder upon her face. Her clothes were
obviously more expensive than Beatrice's, but they were put on
with less care and taste.
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