"Yes, I don't quite know how far."
"Alliance becomes union, and union leads to fusion?"
"And fusion leads where?"
He escaped answering or covered inability to answer with a shrug.
"I'm sorry you don't please Mr. Blair," she said.
"Really I don't think I care so very much. I used to be ambitious, but——"
"Oh, don't tell me it's not worth while being ambitious. It's all I've got."
She had spoken on a hasty unthinking impulse; she grew a little red and laughed rather nervously when she found what she had said. His face did not change, his voice was quite unmoved, as he said, smiling, "In that case, no doubt, it is worth while."
She wanted to applaud his excellent manners; at the same time they annoyed her rather. She had been indiscreet no doubt, but her indiscretion might, if he had liked, have led the way to matters of interest, to that opening of the heart to somebody for which she was pining. His polite care not to embarrass her shut the door.
"I mean, just now," she resumed, "while our seat's so shaky, you know."