"You are not boring me; only I am not well; I have been suffering
all day. I could not sleep, and I have a frightful headache."

"Shall I go away and let you go to bed?"

"Oh, you can stay. If I want to go to bed I don't mind your being
here."

At that moment there was a ring.

"Who is coming now?" she said, with an impatient movement.

A few minutes after there was another ring.

"Isn't there any one to go to the door? I shall have to go." She
got up and said to me, "Wait here."

She went through the rooms, and I heard her open the outer door.
I listened.

The person whom she had admitted did not come farther than the
dining-room. At the first word I recognised the voice of the
young Comte de N.

"How are you this evening?" he said.

"Not well," replied Marguerite drily.

"Am I disturbing you?"