Her abominable experience with the governess had implanted in her unlucky
breast a lasting doubt, an ineradicable suspicion of herself and of
others. I said: "Remember, Miss de Barral, that to be fair you must trust a man
altogether--or not at all."
She dropped her eyes suddenly. I thought I heard a faint sigh. I tried
to take a light tone again, and yet it seemed impossible to get off the
ground which gave me my standing with her.
"Mrs. Fyne is absurd. She's an excellent woman, but really you could not
be expected to throw away your chance of life simply that she might
cherish a good opinion of your memory. That would be excessive."
"It was not of my life that I was thinking while Captain Anthony was--was
speaking to me," said Flora de Barral with an effort.
I told her that she was wrong then. She ought to have been thinking of
her life, and not only of her life but of the life of the man who was
speaking to her too. She let me finish, then shook her head impatiently.
"I mean--death."
"Well," I said, "when he stood before you there, outside the cottage, he
really stood between you and that. I have it out of your own mouth. You
can't deny it."
"If you will have it that he saved my life, then he has got it. It was
not for me. Oh no! It was not for me that I--It was not fear! There!"
She finished petulantly: "And you may just as well know it."
She hung her head and swung the parasol slightly to and fro. I thought a
little.
"Do you know French, Miss de Barral?" I asked.
She made a sign with her head that she did, but without showing any
surprise at the question and without ceasing to swing her parasol.
"Well then, somehow or other I have the notion that Captain Anthony is
what the French call un galant homme. I should like to think he is
being treated as he deserves."
The form of her lips (I could see them under the brim of her hat) was
suddenly altered into a line of seriousness. The parasol stopped
swinging.
"I have given him what he wanted--that's myself," she said without a
tremor and with a striking dignity of tone.
Impressed by the manner and the directness of the words, I hesitated for
a moment what to say. Then made up my mind to clear up the point.