royce realized she was deliberately mocking him , but his momentary irritation soon gave way to reluctant amusement as she continued her charming , reckless , one-way conversation with him : '' 't is obvious to me , '' she remarked , giving him a look of false sympathy beneath her long , curly lashes , `` that 't is not lack of intelligence which causes you to stare at me so blankly when i question you about your men , but rather that your memory is failing !