“She would say that it had the merit of novelty; and, considering how tired one is of everything that has happened, and how bored at the thought of prospective repetitions, I consider that any one who strikes out a new line for himself, and refuses to lag along in the old groove, deserves to be canonized.”
“Well, it is very nice when people will be a little original, certainly; but I am not sure that a woman dare get out of the old groove. Moreover, you men like pretty nonentities.”
“The deuce we do!” exclaimed Colonel Dacre. “Who told you that?”
“Nobody. One does not need telling things when one has eyes and ears. I have seen you dance as often as four times in one evening with Mrs. O’Hara.”
“Well?”
“Well,” echoed Lady Gwendolyn, with a superb sort of insolence, “is she clever?”
“No.”
“Refined?”
“No,” answered Colonel Dacre again.
“Or particularly good?”