Page:Middle Aged Love Stories (IA middleagedlove00bacorich).djvu/170

 almost deceived her; but even as she laughed, his lids drooped, his smile faded, and he fingered the cloth restlessly under her steady gaze.

"I don't know, monsieur, I don't know," she said, in her soft, troubled minor voice. "You weren't so well this last fall, you know; the heat wore on you dreadfully. I wish you could go away somewhere and rest this summer, and not take those vacation classes—I wish you would!"

He shook his head. "R-h-est? R-h-est?" he said softly to himself, and with the throaty little r that was so marked when he was absent-minded. "In zis country? Jamais, jamais, mademoiselle. It is queeck, queeck! immédiatement—at once! Teach me zis moment—it is no matter zat it takes you a lifetime to learn—teach me zis moment—I mus know it zis verry day! I mus' run now to somesing else, but I come ag-gain, and you teach me immediately