t down on his knees, and then
at Charmian.

"I have reason to believe that Jacques Sennier--or rather Madame
Sennier, for she read all the libretti sent in to him, and only showed
him those she thought worth considering--that if Madame Sennier had seen
the libretto I sold to your husband Sennier would have set
mine--mine--in preference to the one he has set."

"Indeed!" said Charmian, with studied indifference.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, almost with violence.

"All this is very interesting. But I don't see what it has to do with me
and my husband. You were good enough to offer to buy back your libretto
from us last year. We refused. Our refusal--"

"Your refusal, madame! I never spoke about the matter to your husband. I
never asked him."

"Have you come here now to ask him? Is that what you mean, monsieur?"

Gillier got up, throwing his cigarette end into the brass coffee tray.
He was evidently much excited. As he stood up in front of her Charmian
thought that he looked suddenly more common, coarser. He thrust his
hands into the pockets of his black trousers.

"I must understand the position," he began.

"It is perfectly clear. Forgive me, monsieur, but I must say I think it
rather bad taste on your part to return to a subject which has been
finally disposed of and which is very disagreeable to me."

"Madame, I am here to say to you that I cannot consider it as finally
disposed of till I have discussed it with Monsieur Heath. I came here
prepared to make a proposition."

"It is useless."

"Madame, I trust that your husband is not endeavoring to avoid me."

Charmian got up and sharply clapped her hands. The Arab boy, Bibi,
appeared.

"Bibi, ask monsieur to come," she said to him in French.

"_Bieng, madame_," replied Bibi, who turned and walked softly away.

During the two or three minutes which elapsed before Claude came in
Charmian and Gillier said nothing. Gillier, who, under the influence of
excitement, was losing his veneer of good manners, moved about the room
pretending to examine the few bibelots it contained. His face was
flushed. He still kept his hands in his pockets. Charmian sat still in
her corner, watching him. She was too angry to speak. And what was there
to be said now? Although she had a good deal of will she was clever
enough to realize when its exercise would be useless. She knew that she
could do nothing more with this man. Otherwise she would not have sent
for Claude.

"_V'la, Mous