"Would she?" said I innocently. I was amused at William Adolphus' simple cunning. "I daresay I should bore her too."
"Perhaps you would," he chuckled. "Only she wouldn't tell you so, of course."
"But Wetter doesn't seem to bore her," I observed.
"Good God, doesn't he?" cried my brother-in-law.
There were limits to the amusement to be got out of him. I yawned and looked across the house again. Wetter's place was empty. I drew William Adolphus' attention to the fact.
"I wonder if the fellow's gone behind?" he said uneasily.
"We'll go after the next act."
"You'll go?"
"Of course I shall send and ask permission."
William Adolphus looked puzzled and gloomy.
"I didn't know you cared for that sort of thing; I mean the theatre and all that."
"We haven't a Coralie Mansoni here every day," I reminded him. "I don't care for the ordinary run, but she's something remarkable, isn't she?"
He muttered a few words and turned away. A moment later Varvilliers knocked at the door of my box and entered. Here was a good messenger for me. I sent him to ask whether Coralie would receive me after the next act. He went off on his errand laughing.
I need not record the various stages and the gradual progress of my acquaintance with Coralie Mansoni. It would be for the most part a narrative of foolish actions and a repetition of trivial conversations. I have shown how I came to enter on it, led
