Vandeloup smiled faintly.
'You don't say so?' he murmured, opening his eyes and looking at her
lazily; 'who told you this news--for news it is to me, I assure
you?'
'Then it's not true?' added Kitty, eagerly, with a kind of gasp.
'I'm sure I don't know,' he replied, indolently fingering his
moustache; 'I haven't asked her yet.'
'You are not going to do so?' she said, rapidly, with a flush on her
face.
'Why not?' in surprise; 'do you object?'
'Object? my God!' she ejaculated, in a low fierce tone; 'have you
forgotten what we are to one another?'
'Friends, I understand,' he said, looking at his hands, admiringly.
'And something more,' she added, bitterly; 'lovers!'
'Don't talk so loud, my dear,' replied Vandeloup, coolly; 'it
doesn't do to let everyone know your private business.'
'It's private now,' she said, in a voice of passion, 'but it will
soon be public enough.'
'Indeed! which paper do you advertise in?'
'Listen to me, Gaston,' she said, taking no notice of his sneer;
'you will never marry Madame Midas; sooner than that, I will reveal
all and kill myself.'
'You forget,' he said, gently; 'it is comedy, not tragedy, we play.'
'That is as I choose,' she retorted; 'see!' and with a sudden
gesture she put her hand into the bosom of her dress and took out
the bottle of poison with the red bands. 'I have it still.
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