She could no longer restrain the question:

"Do you live here?"

"As you see."

She looked straight before her. 0n the table stood a couple of littleglasses, a decanter containing liqueur and a teeny epergne, loaded withfruit and pastry.

"Is this your study?" asked Bertha.

Mechanically her eyes sought for a desk such as violin players use. Emilput his arm round her waist and led her to the piano. He sat down on thepiano stool and drew her on to his knees.