“You must not go and see little Louisa. She is a perfect child. She has seen nothing, and knows no one. I do not think she would even amuse you very much, Bob. She is too simple and innocent. I can not think what put it into your head to go.”
“Well, one thing was that she asked me.”
“You must not go again.”
“I can hardly avoid it. I am dining there to-morrow night.”
“She asked you to dinner?”
“Certainly I did not invite myself.”
There was a short pause, and then Nellie said, with determination: “Bob, I am to a certain degree responsible for your being here at all.”
“You are entirely responsible.”
“I feel the responsibility. I feel it is my duty to make you behave rightly while you are here. It is not behaving rightly to try and acquire an influence over an inexperienced child like Louisa Overton.”
“My dear Nellie, how women jump to conclusions! Is an evening visit a sure prelude to acquiring an influence?”