As he was helping himself to sugar, his hand accidentally touched hers.
"I beg your pardon, dear," she said with an expression on her face which
he had never seen before. She looked like a young girl.
They talked about indifferent things.
On the same day Parliament opened.
Helena's yielding mood lasted and she grew more and more affectionate.
The period allowed for the introduction of new bills drew to a close.
One evening the professor came home from his club in an unusually gay
frame of mind. He went to bed with his paper and his cigar. After a
while he heard Helena's door creak. Silence, lasting for a few minutes,
followed. Then there came a knock at his door.
"Who is there?" he shouted.
"It's I, Albert, do dress and come into the drawing-room, I want to
speak to you."
He dressed and went into the drawing-room.
Helena had lighted the chandelier and was sitting on the sofa, dressed
in her lace morning-gown.
"Do forgive me," she said, "but I can't sleep. My head feels so
strange. Come here and talk to me."
"You are all unstrung, little girl," said Albert, taking her hand in
his own. "You ought to take some wine."
He went into the dining-room and returned with a decanter and two
glasses.
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