not intellectual like Sabine, she
was just a dear, beautiful, kind, ordinary woman, extremely in love with
him, but too truly American ever to lose her head, and now in real
spirits at the prospect of playing so delightful a game. She was
thoroughly versed in the ways of male creatures, and although she
possessed none of Sabine's indescribable charm, she had had numbers of
admirers and would-be lovers and was in every way fitted to cope with
any man. This evening, she had determined so to soothe, flatter and pet
Henry that he should go to bed not realizing that there was any change
in himself, but should be in reality completely changed. Her
preparations had been swift but elaborate. She had rushed to Madame
Imogen's room, and got her to take special messages to the chef, and
dinner would be waited on by her own maid--with Nicholas just to run in
and open the champagne. Then she selected a ravishing rose-pink chiffon
tea-gown, all lacy and fresh, and lastly she had a big fire made up and
all the curtains drawn, and so she awaited Henry's coming with
anticipations of delight. She had even got Mr. Cloudwater (that _pere
aprivoise!_) to mix her two dry Martini cocktails, which were ready for
her guest.

Henry knocked at the door exactly at eight o'clock, and she went to meet
him with all the air of authority of a mother, and led him into the
room, pushing him gently into the chair she had prepared for him. A man
may have a broken heart--but the hurt cannot feel so great when he is
surrounded with every comfort and ministered to by a beautiful young
woman, who is not only in love with him, but has the nerve to keep her
head and not neglect a single point which can be of use in her game.

If she had shown him too much sympathy, or just been ultra-refined and
silent and adoring, Henry by this time would have been quite as unhappy
as he had been at first; but he was too courteous by nature not to try
to be polite and appreciative of kindness when she tendered it so
frankly, no matter what his inward feelings might be--and this she knew
she could count upon and meant to exploit. She argued very truly that if
he were obliged to act, it would brace him up and be beneficial to him,
even though at the moment he would much prefer to be alone. So now she
made him drink the cocktail, and then she deliberately spoke of Sabine,
wondering if she would be awfully surprised to see Michael, and if he
would take her back with him to Arranst