'Logotheti,' said Madame Bonanni later, with her mouth full of
strawberries and cream, 'you must do something for me.'

'An investment, dear lady? I suppose you want some of the bonds of the
new electric road, don't you? They are not to be had, but of course you
shall have them at once. Or else you have decided to give your whole
fortune to an eccentric charity. Is that it?'

'No,' answered the singer, swallowing. 'This charming young lady--what
is your name, my dear? I have forgotten it twenty times this morning!'

'Donne. Margaret Donne.'

'This charming Miss Donne sings, Logotheti.'

'So I gathered while we were talking.'

'No, you didn't! You gathered no such thing! She told you that she took
lessons, perhaps. But I tell you that she sings. It is quite
different.'

Madame Bonanni pushed away her plate, planted her large white elbows on
the table and looked thoughtfully at Margaret. Logotheti looked at the
young girl, too, for he knew very well what his old friend meant by the
simple statement, slightly emphasised.

'Ah!' he ejaculated. 'I understand. I am at your service.'

'What is it?' asked Margaret, blushing a little and turning from one to
the other.

'Logotheti knows everybody,' answered Madame Bonanni. 'He is rich,
immensely rich, fabulously rich, my dear. He is in the "high finance,"
in fact. It is disgusting, how rich he is, but it is sometimes useful.
He wants a theatre, a newspaper; he buys it and does what he likes with
it. It makes no difference to him, for he always sells it again for
more than he gave for it, and besides, it amuses him. You would not
think it, but Logotheti is often dreadfully bored.'

'Very often,' assented the Greek, 'but never when I am with you.'

'Ah, bah! You say that! But why should I care? You always do what I
want.'

'Invariably.'

'And out of pure friendship, too.'

'The purest!' Logotheti uttered the two words with profound conviction.

'I never could induce this creature to make love to me,' cried Madame
Bonanni, turning to Margaret with a laugh. 'It is incredible! And yet I
love him--almost as well as plover's eggs! It is true that if he made
love to me, I should have him turned out of the house. But that makes
no difference. It is one of the disappointments of my life that he
doesn't!'

'What I admire next to your genius, is your logic, dear lady,' said
Logotheti.

'Precisely. Now before you have your coffee you will give me your word
of honour th