Stephen. At the best, I am not bored. And the less bliss I have, the less bored I am!"
"Then you are not bored?"
"Oh, I am—very much so at times. At such moments, I come and call on you. I have learned to cherish our disinterested friend-ship ever more and more."
He moved as if annoyed a little; then he lit a cigarette.
"Whom?"
"I don't understand."
"Whom do you love?"
"Oh, an ideal according to your own taste. A bon entendeur salut." Note: All the better if you have caught my meaning.
"Won't you tell me?"
"No, I won't. Guess, if you want to know."
"A fool?"
"To some extent, yes."
"Handsome?"
"Too much so by far."
"Wealthy?"
"Indifferently."
"It is—it is Imszanski! Et tu, Janka!" he exclaimed, looking into my face with a curious expression.
