‘What a noisy boy you are!’
‘This book excites me. Anything more?’
“Friendships should not be hastily formed, nor the heart given at once to every newcomer—”’
‘Well, I should hope not! Don’t let me catch you at it! You don’t mind my cigarette? Has Mrs. Beeton a paragraph about smoking in bedrooms?’
‘Such an enormity never occurred to her as a remote possibility. If she had known you, dear, she would have had to write an appendix to her book to meet all the new problems which you would suggest. Shall I go on?’
‘Please do!’
‘She next treats conversation. “In conversation, trifling occurrences such as small disappointments, petty annoyances, and other everyday incidents, should never be mentioned to friends. If the mistress be a wife, never let a word in connection with her husband’s failings pass her lips—”’
‘By Jove, this book has more wisdom to the square inch than any work of man,’ cried Frank, in enthusiasm.
‘I thought that would please you. “Good temper should be cultivated by every mistress, as upon it the welfare of the household may be said to turn.”’
‘Excellent!’