“Oh! certainly, my lord—indeed, I quite understand you.”
“I hope we shall soon understand one another better,” he returned, looking into her face admiringly.
Miss Lovejoyce made no reply; she appeared to be still engaged in admiring the cactus.
“Confound it! What is there in that flower to attract so much attention?” observed her companion.
“It is very beautiful,” she returned, carelessly.
“I do not deny that. I know a fellow who grows these sort of things—takes a delight with ’em, you know. He would tell you the name and properties of any plant in the whole creation—thinks of nothing else, I do believe.”
“He is an admirer of nature’s products, doubtless, and is a man of taste, I suppose.”
“Oh, dear me, yes, but you see some how or other I pwefer animated nature.”
“Both animated and inanimate nature have their respective charms,” returned the lady.
“I dare say, but why will you be so pewerse?”