"You make it hard," said Acton, getting up, "for a man to say something tender to you." This evening there was something particularly striking and touching about her; an unwonted softness and a look of suppressed emotion.
He felt himself suddenly appreciating the fact that she had behaved very well. She had come to this quiet corner of the world under the weight of a cruel indignity, and she had been so gracefully, modestly thankful for the rest she found there. She had joined that simple circle over the way; she had mingled in its plain, provincial talk; she had shared its meagre and savorless pleasures.
She had set herself a task, and she had rigidly performed it.
She had conformed to the angular conditions of New England life, and she had had the tact and pluck to carry it off as if she liked them.
Acton felt a more downright need than he had ever felt before to tell her that he admired her and that she struck him as a very superior woman.
All along, hitherto, he had been on his guard with her; he had been cautious, observant, suspicious. But now a certain light tumult in his blood seemed to tell him that a finer degree of confidence in this charming woman would be its own reward.
"We don't detest you," he went on. "I don't know what you mean.
At any rate, I speak for myself; I don't know anything about the others.
Very likely, you detest them for the dull life they make you lead.
Really, it would give me a sort of pleasure to hear you say so."
Eugenia had been looking at the door on the other side of the room; now she slowly turned her eyes toward Robert Acton.
"What can be the motive," she asked, "of a man like you--an honest man, a galant homme--in saying so base a thing as that?"
"Does it sound very base?" asked Acton, candidly.
"I suppose it does, and I thank you for telling me so.
Of course, I don't mean it literally."
The Baroness stood looking at him. "How do you mean it?" she asked.
This question was difficult to answer, and Acton, feeling the least bit foolish, walked to the open window and looked out.
He stood there, thinking a moment, and then he turned back.
"You know that document that you were to send to Germany," he said.
"You called it your 'renunciation.' Did you ever send it?"
Madame Munster's eyes expanded; she looked very grave.
"What a singular answer to my question!"
"Oh, it is n't an answer," said Acton. "I have wished to ask you, many times. I thought it probable you would tell me yourself.
The question, on my part, seems abrupt now; but it would be abrupt at any time."
The Baroness was silent a moment; and then, "I think I have told you too much!" she said.
This declaration appeared to Acton to have a certain force; he had indeed a sense of asking more of her than he offered her.
He returned to the window, and watched, for a moment, a little star that twinkled through the lattice of the piazza.
There were at any rate offers enough he could make; perhaps he had hitherto not been sufficiently explicit in doing so.
"I wish you would ask something of me," he presently said.
"Is there nothing I can do for you? If you can't stand this dull life any more, let me amuse you!"
The Baroness had sunk once more into a chair, and she had taken up a fan which she held, with both hands, to her mouth.
Over the top of the fan her eyes were fixed on him.
"You are very strange to-night," she said, with a little laugh.
"I will do anything in the world," he rejoined, standing in front of her.
"Should n't you like to travel about and see something of the country?
Won't you go to Niagara? You ought to see Niagara, you know."
"With you, do you mean?"
"I should be delighted to take you."
"You alone?"
Acton looked at her, smiling, and yet with a serious air.
"Well, yes; we might go alone," he said.
"If you were not what you are," she answered, "I should feel insulted."
"How do you mean--what I am?"
"If you were one of the gentlemen I have been used to all my life.
If you were not a queer Bostonian."
"If the gentlemen you have been used to have taught you to expect insults," said Acton, "I am glad I am what I am.
You had much better come to Niagara."
"If you wish to 'amuse' me," the Baroness declared, "you need go to no further expense. You amuse me very effectually."
He sat down opposite to her; she still held her fan up to her face, with her eyes only showing above it. There was a moment's silence, and then he said, returning to his former question, "Have you sent that document to Germany?"
Again there was a moment's silence. The expressive eyes of Madame M; auunster seemed, however, half to break it.
"I will tell you--at Niagara!" she said.
She had hardly spoken when the door at the further end of the room opened--the door upon which, some minutes previous, Eugenia had fixed her gaze.
Clifford Wentworth stood there, blushing and looking rather awkward.
The Baroness rose, quickly, and Acton, more slowly, did the same.
Clifford gave him no greeting; he was looking at Eugenia.
"Ah, you were here?" exclaimed Acton.
"He was in Felix's studio," said Madame Munster.
"He wanted to see his sketches."
Clifford looked at Robert Acton, but said nothing; he only fanned himself with his hat. "You chose a bad moment," said Acton;
"you had n't much light."
"I had n't any!" said Clifford, laughing.
"Your candle went out?" Eugenia asked. "You should have come back here and lighted it again."
Clifford looked at her a moment. "So I have--come back.
But I have left the candle!"
Eugenia turned away. "You are very stupid, my poor boy.
You had better go home."
"Well," said Clifford, "good night!"
"Have n't you a word to throw to a man when he has safely returned from a dangerous journey?" Acton asked.
"How do you do?" said Clifford. "I thought--I thought you were"--and he paused, looking at the Baroness again.
"You thought I was at Newport, eh? So I was--this morning."
"Good night, clever child!" said Madame Munster, over her shoulder.
Clifford stared at her--not at all like a clever child; and then, with one of his little facetious growls, took his departure.
"What is the matter with him?" asked Acton, when he was gone.
