you have failed to notice that I have had this room redecorated?"

He looked round the apartments with a smile, which somehow conveyed
a colossal contempt. "Very charming," he said.

"It was done by a good man and cost a round sum." She paused,
looking at him with a mocking glance. "In fact, I am rather in need
of money. My balance at the bank is not so large as I could wish."

The Count's dark eyes rested on her face with the small gleam in
their depths which has already been noted.

"I am not good at money matters," he said. "But, so far as I
recollect, you have already exceeded our--"

"Possibly."

"And, unless my memory plays me false, there was a distinct promise
that this should not occur again. Perhaps a lady's promise--"

"Possibly."

The Count contented himself with a derisive laugh beneath his
breath, and waited for her to speak again. This she did as she
moved towards the other room.

"I think five hundred pounds would suffice--at present. Agatha,"
she continued, raising her voice, "come and play the Count's
accompaniment. He finds fault with me to-night"