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nydus/The King in YellowPublic

Ten short stories of madness, hauntings, romance, and art.

Page 244 of 281
Table of Contents

VI

“Together⁠—all day⁠—all day long; will you, Valentine?”

She was silent.

“Only for this once.”

Again that indefinable shadow fell across her eyes, and when it was gone she sighed. “Yes⁠—together, only for this once.”

“All day?” he said, doubting his happiness.

“All day,” she smiled; “and oh, I am so hungry!”

He laughed, enchanted.

“What a material young lady it is.”

On the Boulevard St. Michel there is a Crémerie painted white and blue outside, and neat and clean as a whistle inside. The auburn-haired young woman who speaks French like a native, and rejoices in the name of Murphy, smiled at them as they entered, and tossing a fresh napkin over the zinc tête-à-tête table, whisked before them two cups of chocolate and a basket full of crisp, fresh croissons .

The primrose-coloured pats of butter, each stamped with a shamrock in relief, seemed saturated with the fragrance of Normandy pastures.

“How delicious!” they said in the same breath, and then laughed at the coincidence.

“With but a single thought,” he began.

“How absurd!” she cried with cheeks all rosy. “I’m thinking I’d like a croisson .”

“So am I,” he replied triumphant, “that proves it.”

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