couple sitting on the garden-seat, gave a loud cough and went on.

'Your mother,' Sanin began, as soon as the sound of the heavy
footsteps had ceased, 'told me your breaking off your engagement would
cause a scandal'--Gemma frowned a little--that I was myself in part
responsible for unpleasant gossip, and that ... consequently ... I
was, to some extent, under an obligation to advise you not to break
with your betrothed, Herr Klueber....'

'Monsieur Dimitri,' said Gemma, and she passed her hand over her hair
on the side turned towards Sanin, 'don't, please, call Herr Klueber my
betrothed. I shall never be his wife. I have broken with him.'

'You have broken with him? when?'

'Yesterday.'

'You saw him?'

'Yes. At our house. He came to see us.'

'Gemma? Then you love me?'

She turned to him.

'Should ... I have come here, if not?' she whispered, and both her
hands fell on the seat.

Sanin snatched those powerless, upturned palms, and pressed them to
his eyes, to his lips.... Now the veil was lifted of which he had