He was evidently pleased with Cruthers, for when Cruthers
refused a third glass he said to him: 'To-morrow, perhaps'--and,
beckoning to Auguste, said, in a voice loud enough for us all to hear:
'Put a cork in it and mark it; we'll finish it to-morrow.'
"Cruthers made no reply, not considering himself, of course, as one of
the party, and, nodding pleasantly to my companion, joined Woods's
table again.
"When dinner was over, Diffendorfer put on his hat and coat, handed me
my umbrella, and said:
"'I'm going home now. Walk along with me?'
"It was still raining, the wind rattling the swinging doors of the
caffe. I did not answer for a moment. The dinner had left me as much in
the dark as ever, and I was trying to make up my mind what to do next.
"'Why not stay here and smoke?' I asked.
"'No, walk along with me as far as the traghetto, please,' and he laid
his hand in a half-pleading way on my arm.
"Again that same troubled look in his face that I had seen once before
made me alter my mind.
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