CHAPTER IX

HANS STEPS OUT For Hans, too, Nathalie presented this image of the bird in flight. She had come in early this afternoon, hastening up the stairs; he had met her half-way up--had stayed her with a hand on her arm---- 'Well?' he asked her. She was in great agitation, and had for him precisely that trembling, beating, fearing quiver of a bird caught in the hand. 'It's nothing,' she answered, trying to smile--Then, looking down the stairs into the hall as though to make sure that there was no one there, lowering her vo…