And Rafael, vanquished by her frank merriment, had finally to smile, confessing his crime with a loud laugh.

“You’re probably surprised at what I do and say,” continued Leonora drawing closer to him, leaning a shoulder against his with unaffected carelessness, as if she were with a girl friend.  “I’m not like most women.  A fine thing it would be for me, with the life I lead, to play the hypocrite!...  My poor aunt thinks I’m crazy because I say just what I feel; in my time I’ve been much liked and much disliked on account of the mania I have for not concealing anything....  Do you want me to tell you the real truth?...  Very well; you’ve come here because you love me, or, at least, because you think you love me:  a failing all boys of your age have, as soon as they find a woman different from the others they know.”

Rafael bowed his head and said nothing; he did not dare look up.  He felt the gaze of those green eyes upon the back of his head and they seemed to reach right into his soul.

“Let’s see your face.  Raise that head of yours a little.  Why don’t you say it isn’t so, as you did before?  Am I right or not?”

“And supposing you were right?...”  Rafael ventured to murmur, finding himself thus suddenly discovered.

“Since I know I am, I thought it best to provoke this explanation, so as to avoid any misunderstandings.  After what has happened to-night, I want to have you for a friend; friend you understand, and nothing more; a comradeship based on gratitude.  We ought to know in advance exactly where we stand.  We’ll be friends, won’t we?...  You must feel quite at home here; and I’m sure I shall find you a very agreeable chum.  What you’ve done to-night has given you a greater hold on my affection than you could ever have gained in any ordinary social way; but you’re going to promise me that you won’t drift into any of that silly love-making that has always been the bane of my existence.”

“And if I can’t help myself?” murmured Rafael.

“’And if I can’t help myself’,” said Leonora, laughing and mimicking the voice of the young man and the expression on his face. “’And if I can’t help myself’!  That’s what they all say!  And why can’t you help yourself?  How can one take seriously a love for a woman you are now seeing for the second time?  These sudden passions are all inventions of you men.  They’re not genuine.  You get them out of the novels you read, or out of the operas we sing.  Nonsense that poets write and callow boys swallow like so many boobies and try to transplant into real life!  The trouble is we singers are in the secret, and laugh at such bosh.  Well, now you know—­good friends, and the soft pedal on sentiment and drama, eh?  In that way we’ll get along very well and the house will be yours.”

Leonora paused and, threatening him playfully with her forefinger, added: 

“Otherwise, you may consider me just as ungrateful and cruel as you please, but your gallant conduct of to-night won’t count.  You’ll not be permitted to enter this place again.  I want no adorers; I have come here looking for rest, friendship, peace ...  Love!  A beautiful, cruel hoax!...”