I suppose you are in his confidence?
Has he told you why his father sent him away from the University ?" My reply to this was, I am afraid, rather absently given.

The truth is, my mind was running on some earlier words which had dropped from the old lady's lips.

"He once did me a kindness a long time since." When had I last heard that commonplace phrase?
and why did I remember it so readily when I now heard it again?
"Ah, his father did a wise thing in separating him from that woman and her daughter!" Frau Meyer went on.

"Madame Fontaine deliberately entrapped the poor boy into the engagement.

But perhaps you are a friend of hers?
In that case, I retract and apologize." "Quite needless," I said.
"You are _not_ a friend of Madame Fontaine ?" she persisted.
This cool attempt to force an answer from me failed in its object.