It had become Undine's fixed purpose to bring Van Degen to a definite
expression of his intentions. The case of Indiana Frusk, whose brilliant
marriage the journals of two continents had recently chronicled with
unprecedented richness of detail, had made less impression on him than
she hoped. He treated it as a comic episode without special bearing on
their case, and once, when Undine cited Rolliver's expensive fight for
freedom as an instance of the power of love over the most invulnerable
natures, had answered carelessly: "Oh, his first wife was a laundress, I
believe."
But all about them couples were unpairing and pairing again with an ease
and rapidity that encouraged Undine to bide her time. It was simply a
question of making Van Degen want her enough, and of not being obliged
to abandon the game before he wanted her as much as she meant he should.
This was precisely what would happen if she were compelled to leave
Paris now. Already the event had shown how right she had been to come
abroad: the attention she attracted in Paris had reawakened Van Degen's
fancy, and her hold over him was stronger than when they had parted
in America. But the next step must be taken with coolness and
circumspection; and she must not throw away what she had gained by going
away at a stage when he was surer of her than she of him. She was still
intensely considering these questions when the door behind her opened
and he came in.
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