He muttered an absent-minded "Ay, ay," played with a bit of biscuit,
sighed, and said, with a peculiar stare which did not seem to carry any
distance, but to stop short at a point in the air very near his face:
"Anybody can see at once _you_ are one. You and the governor ought to
understand each other. He expects to see you tonight. The governor isn't
well, and we've got to think of getting away from here."
While saying these words he turned himself full towards Lena, but
without any marked expression. Leaning back with folded arms, the girl
stared before her as if she had been alone in the room. But under
that aspect of almost vacant unconcern the perils and emotion that had
entered into her life warmed her heart, exalted her mind with a sense of
an inconceivable intensity of existence.
"Really? Thinking of going away from here?" Heyst murmured.
"The best of friends must part," Ricardo pronounced slowly. "And, as
long as they part friends, there's no harm done. We two are used to be
on the move. You, I understand, prefer to stick in one place."
It was obvious that all this was being said merely for the sake of
talking, and that Ricardo's mind was concentrated on some purpose
unconnected with the words that were coming but of his mouth.
"I should like to know," Heyst asked with incisive politeness, "how you
have come to understand this or anything else about me? As far as I can
remember, I've made you no confidences.
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