I've helped some people
for nothing."
"Because you love them?"
"No."
"_C'est dommage aussi_. You should love someone. It is much
'ealthier. I love everyone. Per'aps I love too much. I make
experiments. You make experiments--and sometimes leetle mistakes.
_Comme nous autres_. 'Ze operation was a _grand succes_--but ze
patient die.' I know. Some of mine die too."
"Prince Frederick, for instance?"
She lifted the long chain of pearls about her neck and considered them
dispassionately.
"That _canard_! You think 'e give me these? _Ce pauvre_ Fredi! 'E
couldn't 'ave given me a chain of pink coral. I could 'ave bought 'im
and 'is funny little kingdom with my dress-money. 'E shoot 'imself.
Well, that was 'is _affaire_. 'E 'ave no doubt explain 'imself to ze
_bon Dieu_, who is particulaire about that sort of thing. As to ze old
pearls--my agent 'e set that story going--_pour encourager les autres_."
"Cosgrave among them?" he suggested.
"Monsieur Cosgrave? We won't talk about 'im just now, if you please.
'E make me ver' cross. I 'ate to be cross. It is ver' difficult to
'ave a good time with English people. They are so damn thorough. When
they want to go to ze devil they want to go ze whole way."
"Perhaps that's why I'm here," he said ironically.
"_Voyons--voyons, c'est ennuyeux_----" She broke off and gave a little
husky, good-natured laugh. "I remember. You think me a bad woman.
But I am not a bad woman at all.
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