She wanted to put herself right with him, to justify her attitude in his eyes.
"Have you ever seen me dance ?" she asked abruptly.
Surely if he had ever seen that wonderful artistry which she knew was hers, witnessed the half-crazy enthusiasm with which her audience received her, he would make allowance, judge her a little less harshly for what was, after all, a very natural assumption on the part of a stage favourite.
An expression of unwilling admiration came into his eyes.
"Have I seen you dance ?" he repeated.

"Yes, I have.

Several times." He did not add--which would have been no more than the truth--that during her last winter's season at the Imperial Theatre he had hardly missed a dozen performances.
"Then--then----" Magda spoke with a kind of incredulous appeal.

"Can't you understand--just a little ?" "Oh, I understand.

I understand perfectly.