Fair Margaret - Page 159/206

'You are right in that,' he said, rather coldly, as a footman appeared

and opened the outer door. 'Miss Donne'--he emphasised the name a

little--'will probably not need any help from me. But if she should, I

am her very humble servant.' 'Thank you,' Margaret said, in the same ambiguous tone as before.

Thereupon she and Madame De Rosa nodded to him and left him bowing on

his doorstep. They walked away in the direction of the Batignolles

station. When they had heard the door of the house shut, Madame De Rosa

spoke.

'You are splendid, my dear,' she said with admiration. 'But take care!

To play with Logotheti is like balancing a volcano on the tip of your

nose while you juggle with the world, the flesh and the devil--you know

what I mean--the man who keeps a cannon-ball, an empty bottle and a bit

of paper all going at once with one hand. I am afraid Logotheti will do

something unexpected, to upset all our plans.' 'He had better not!' answered Margaret, drooping her lids; and her eyes

flashed, and her handsome lips pouted a little.