“Your conclusion proved how very little you know of German girls in her rank of life.”
“Should one interpret these German girls by contraries?”
“Cela depend.”
“Perhaps, then, her sister intends to be very civil to me—our acquaintance began by her calling me a fool; and I overheard her saying to her sister that I seemed to have an uncommonly good opinion of myself, and looked like an overgrown schoolboy.”
“There is no possibility of mistaking such demonstrations,” said A. Z., smiling, and evidently controlling an inclination to laugh, extremely displeasing to Hamilton.
“You seem,” he said, somewhat distrustfully, “you seem amused—perhaps at my expressing your thoughts in the words of another person.”
“What I thought of you on your first appearance——”
“I already know. You thought me a long-legged, bashful animal; at least you said so to Baron Z—.”
“At that time I fancied I had a sort of right to criticise; and had you really proved to be John or Archy, as I had supposed, you might have often been favoured with equally flattering observations; I should have considered you a sort of relation, and you would, undoubtedly, have thought me a great bore. Now, the case is different, and I shall treat you with all possible respect; but you must allow me to laugh, and promise not to be offended at every idle word——”
“Offended!—oh, no! I should be extremely delighted if you would act towards me as if I were John or Archy.”