"Lying, Duke, lying," she laughed.
He held up his hands, protestingly.
"Not at all, my dear; teasing is the word I wanted."
She lay back in the chair and laughed softly to herself.
"Do you fancy the Grand Duke Armand would call it teasing?" she asked.
He joined in the laugh.
"The victim never sees the joke," he said.
She sat up sharply.
"So, then, it was intended only as a joke?" she exclaimed. "I thought
it had another object."
He frowned again.
"I don't quite follow you," he said.
She looked at him with a queer smile.
"My being brought to Valeria to pose as his wife," she explained.
"You don't mean you came here from America expressly for that purpose?"
he asked.
Her smile grew broader.
"Really, Duke, you are most delicious," she said. "Armand Dalberg told
me, the other day, that I played my part beautifully--he should see
you. You are a _premier artiste_."
"Madame flatters me," Lotzen answered with soft irony; then tried for
her hand--and failed.
"Well, you may take it so," said she; "but, believe me, your cousin
didn't mean it so, to me."
He moved over and sat on the edge of the table near her.
She leaned far back and put her hands behind her.
"Come, my dear, don't be so mysterious," he said.
"Let us be frank, as you suggest. You say you are not Armand's
wife--that, I am only too glad to believe; I am delighted. You say I
have always known it--that, of course, is a mistake. You say I am
playing a part, now--that, I don't understand."
"_Premier artiste_, surely," she laughed. Then, suddenly, grew sober.
"By all means, let us have a frank talk," she said. "It was for that I
asked you here to-night--But, first, light me a cigarette, and then go
and sit down in that chair."
"Buy me with a smile," he said.
She bought him--then he did her bidding.
"I was silly enough to hope it was only I that you wanted to see," he
said.
"My note gave no ground for such hopes, Your Highness," she said. "I
told you exactly what I wanted--to discuss a matter of immediate
importance."
"Oh, yes, I know--but then I was still thinking of the Masque."
She looked at him naïvely. "Surely, Duke, you are old enough to know
that, of all follies, a Masque is chiefest and dies with the break of
day."