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"With me?" she said, wonderingly. She came out from behind the

door of the dressing-room, and looked at him. "Why, what is it?

What about?" she asked, sitting down. "Well, let's talk, if it's

so necessary. But it would be better to get to sleep."

Anna said what came to her lips, and marveled, hearing herself,

at her own capacity for lying. How simple and natural were her

words, and how likely that she was simply sleepy! She felt

herself clad in an impenetrable armor of falsehood. She felt that

some unseen force had come to her aid and was supporting her.

"Anna, I must warn you," he began.

"Warn me?" she said. "Of what?"