Page:The Tsar's Window.djvu/190

 "You hinted just now," I said, in a voice which I vainly strove to render steady, "at encouragement which I had given. Did Mr. Thurber lead you to suppose that I had encouraged him?"

"Certainly not."

At this moment the servant brought in the lamp, which cast a faint pink light over to the window where I sat. I waited until the curtains were drawn, and the man had left the room. I felt that the light was betraying to George the state of excitement in which I was; for my cheeks were blazing, and my under lip quivering, as it has a disagreeable trick of doing when I am nervous. There was no hope of escaping George's scrutiny: his eyes were devouring my face, as I saw in the quick glance which I cast at him. I threw concealment to the winds, and turned upon him.

"No one was ever so cruelly unjust to me before," I cried, with a break in my voice, "as to call me a flirt. If there is one bad quality in this world which I lack, it is that. Anything" (proudly forcing back the tears), "anything you choose to call me I will not protest against, except that."

I folded my hands over the arms of my chair, sat bolt upright, and faced him boldly.

"It is a piece of unwarrantable impertinence for you to talk to me in this way," I continued.

He looked at me earnestly for a moment, then dropped his eyes on the carpet, and murmured, "I fear so."

There was silence for some seconds.