"What saith the Gospel according to St. Val?"
"That you were only a bird of passage."
Lawrence waited a moment before replying. "Birds of passage have their mating seasons." Once more Isabel, not knowing what to make of this remark, let it alone. "But I should like to possess Val's good opinion. What have I done to offend him? Can't you give me any tips?"
"It isn't so much what you do as what you are. Val's very, very
English."
"But what am I?"
"Foreign," said Isabel simply.
"A Jew? Yes, I knew I should have that prejudice to live down.
But I'm not a hall-marked Israelite, am I? After all I'm half
English by birth and wholly so by breeding." Isabel was betrayed
into an involuntary and fleeting smile. "Hallo! what's this?"
"Oh, Captain Hyde—"
"Go on."
"No: it's the tiniest trifle, and besides I've no right."