human
Last time I saw you, he reminded her,
gpt
Quite true, she answered briskly,
human
Thanks to me, he repeated, puzzled.
gpt
I don't understand.
human
No? But it is very simple. It was you who were so much amazed that I did not try--the music hall stage here.
gpt
You must admit, he declared,
human
At any rate, she declared,
gpt
You are going to sing in London?
human
Yes.
gpt
Tell me, she insisted,
human
No, he answered readily.
gpt
It is not that. The idea of your being a failure would never have occurred to me.
human
Then why are you sorry that I am going to the 'Unusual'? I do not understand.
gpt
I am sorry, he said slowly.
human
Why, I do not know.
gpt
I positively insist upon knowing, she declared cheerfully.
human
The sooner you tell me the better.
gpt
It is very hard to explain, he answered.
human
I think that it is only an idea. Only you seem to me since the time when I knew you in Paris to have changed--to have changed in some subtle manner which I find at times utterly bewildering. I find you an impenetrable enigma. I find it impossible to associate you with--my little friend of the 'Ambassador's.' The things she said and did from you--seem impossible. I had a sort of idea, he went on,
gpt
I think, she said,
human
she added, in a suddenly altered tone,
gpt
Why not? he answered.
human
You permitted me then to call you my friend. I do not intend to allow you to forget.
gpt
Did you see who that was?
human
I did not recognize him, Anna answered.
gpt
I supposed that he took off his hat to you.
human
It was Cheveney!
gpt
Cheveney! she repeated.
human
I do not know any one of that name.
gpt
Mr. Ennison!
human
Good God! he exclaimed.
gpt
Who are you--Annabel Pellissier or her ghost?
human
If it is a choice between the two, she answered,
gpt
I must be Annabel Pellissier. I am certainly no ghost.
human
You have her face and figure, he muttered.
gpt
You have even her name. Yet you can look Cheveney in the face and declare that you do not know him. You have changed from the veriest butterfly to a woman--you wear different clothes, you have the air of another world. If you do not help me to read the riddle of yourself, Annabel, I think that very soon I shall be a candidate for the asylum.
human
So Mr. Cheveney was another Paris friend, was he?
gpt
Don't befool me any more, he answered, almost roughly.
human
If any one should know----you should! He was your friend. We were only--_les autres_.
gpt
That is quite untrue, she declared cheerfully.
human
I certainly knew him no better than you.
gpt
Then he--and Paris--lied,
human
That, she answered,