“Cut as deeply as you like,” said he, smiling.
“Then here goes: For the 'small ambition' I speak of, it was displayed yesterday at dinner, when, in rivalry with that old lawyer, you condescended to play agreeable, to out-talk him, out-quote, and out-anecdote him. It is true you succeeded; but what a poor success it was! how inadequate to the forces that were mustered to effect it!”
“And now for the other count of the indictment,” said he, with a half smile.
“First, do you plead guilty to this one?” asked she.
“Yes; with an 'extenuating circumstance.'”
“What is that?”
“Why, that you were present,” said Jack, with a glance of more than mere passing gallantry.
“Well,” said she, after a pause, “I did take some of the display to my own share. I saw that you did n't care to captivate the young lady of the house, and that my Lady bored you.”
“Insufferably!” exclaimed Jack, with energy.
“Your manner showed it,” said she, “even more than such polish ought to have betrayed.”