"Yes," she went on; "I sometimes thought: `She will never come.She promised as those women in society always do, without meaning it.She will not come.' For I really don't believe you like me, Mrs.Pontellier.""I don't know whether I like you or not," replied Edna, gazing down at the little woman with a quizzical look.
The candor of Mrs.Pontellier's admission greatly pleased Mademoiselle Reisz.She expressed her gratification by repairing forthwith to the region of the gasoline stove and rewarding her guest with the promised cup of coffee.The coffee and the biscuit accompanying it proved very acceptable to Edna, who had declined refreshment at Madame Lebrun's and was now beginning to feel hungry.Mademoiselle set thetray which she brought in upon a small table near at hand, and seated herself once again on the lumpy sofa.
"I have had a letter from your friend," she remarked, as she poured a little cream into Edna's cup and handed it to her.
"My friend?"
"Yes, your friend Robert.He wrote to me from the City of Mexico." "Wrote to YOU?" repeated Edna in amazement, stirring her coffeeabsently.
"Yes, to me.Why not? Don't stir all the warmth out of your coffee; drink it.Though the letter might as well have been sent to you; it was nothing but Mrs.Pontellier from beginning to end.""Let me see it," requested the young woman, entreatingly.
"No; a letter concerns no one but the person who writes it and the one to whom it is written.""Haven't you just said it concerned me from beginning to end?""It was written about you, not to you.`Have you seen Mrs.Pontellier? How is she looking?' he asks.`As Mrs.Pontellier says,' or `as Mrs.Pontellier once said.' `If Mrs.Pontellier should call upon you, play for her that Impromptu of Chopin's, my favorite.I heard it here a day or two ago, but not as you play it.I should like to know how it affects her,' and so on, as if he supposed we were constantly in each other's society.""Let me see the letter." "Oh, no."