She spoke in an extremely matter-of-fact tone, as though there were no such things as love and ecstasy in the world, as though to indicate that in her opinion life was no joke, after all.
'And what about me?' said Henry. He thought: 'My shrewd, capable girl has to sacrifice herself—and me—in order to look after incompetent persons who can't look after themselves!'
'You'll be all right,' said she, still in the same tone.
'Can't I run down and see you?' he suggested.
She laughed briefly, as at a pleasantry, and so Henry laughed too.
'With four sick people on my hands!' she exclaimed.
'How long shall you be away?' he inquired.
'My dear—can I tell?'
'You'd better come back to Paris with me for a week or so, my son,' said Tom. 'I shall leave the day after to-morrow.'