"A few minutes a--that is--well, I never _really_ wanted to go. It"s jollier in town. Don"t you think so? Blue sky, snow--er--and all that?"
"Yes," she said, "it is perfectly delightful in town to-day."
He a.s.sented, then looked discouraged.
"Perhaps you would like to go out?" he said.
"I? Oh, no.... The sun on the snow is bad for one"s eyes; don"t you think so?"
"Very.... I"m terribly sorry that I"m giving you so much trouble."
"I don"t mind--really. If only I could do something for you."
"You are."
"I?"
"Yes; you are being exceedingly nice to me. I am afraid you feel under obligations to remain indoors and----"
"Truly, I don"t. I was not going out."
She leaned nearer and looked through the bars: "Are you quite sure you feel comfortable?"
"I feel like something in a zoo!"
She laughed. "That reminds me," she said, "have you had any luncheon?"
He had not, it appeared, after a little polite protestation, so she rang for Sparks.
Her own appet.i.te, too, had returned when the tray was brought; napkin and plate were pa.s.sed through the grille to him, and, as they lunched, he in his cage, she close to the bars, they fell into conversation, exchanging information concerning mutual acquaintances whom they had expected to meet at the Delancy Courlands".
"So you see," she said, "that if I had not changed my mind about going to Tuxedo this morning you would not be here now. Nor I.... And we would never have--lunched together."
"That didn"t alter things," he said, smiling. "If you hadn"t been ill you would have gone to Tuxedo, and I should have seen you there."
"Then, whatever I did made no difference," she a.s.sented, thoughtfully, "for we were bound to meet, anyway."
He remained standing close to the grille, which, as she was seated, brought his head on a level with hers.
"It would seem," he said laughingly, "as though we were doomed to meet each other, anyway. It looks like a case of Destiny to me."
She started slightly: "What did you say?"
"I said that it looks as though Fate intended us to meet, anyhow. Don"t you think so?"
She remained silent.
He added cheerfully: "I never was afraid of Fate."
"Would you care for a--a book--or anything?" she asked, aware of a new constraint in her voice.
"I don"t believe I could see to read in here.... Are you--going?"
"I--ought to." Vexed at the feeble senselessness of her reply she found herself walking down the landing, toward nowhere in particular. She turned abruptly and came back.
"Do you want a book?" she repeated.
"Oh, I forgot that you can"t see to read. But perhaps you might care to smoke."
"Are you going away?"
"I--don"t mind your smoking."
He lighted a cigarette; she looked at him irresolutely.
"You mustn"t think of remaining," he said. Whereupon she seated herself.
"I suppose I ought to try to amuse you--till Ferdinand returns with a plumber," she said.
He protested: "I couldn"t think of asking so much from you."
"Anyway, it"s my duty," she insisted. "I ought."
"Why?"
"Because you are under my roof--a guest."
"Please don"t think----"
"But I really don"t mind! If there is anything I can do to make your imprisonment easier----"
"It is easy. I rather like being here."
"It is very amiable of you to say so."
"I really mean it."
"How can you _really_ mean it?"
"I don"t know, but I do." In their earnestness they had come close to the bars; she stood with both hands resting on the grille, looking in; he in a similar position, looking out.
He said: "I feel like an occupant of the Bronx, and it rather astonishes me that you haven"t thrown me in a few peanuts."
She laughed, fetched her box of chocolates, then began seriously: "If Ferdinand doesn"t find anybody I"m afraid you might be obliged to remain to dinner."
"That prospect," he said, "is not unpleasant. You know when one becomes accustomed to one"s cage it"s rather a bore to be let out."
They sampled the chocolates, she sitting close to the cage, and as the box would not go through the bars she was obliged to hand them to him, one by one.