“Well,” said Armine, “I shall be obliged to do something outrageous presently, so look out!”
“Not really!” said Sydney.
“Yes, really,” said Babie, recovering; “I see what he means. He would like to do anything rather than sit and think that this is the last time we shall all be together again in this way.”
“I’m sure I don’t see why we should not,” said Sydney. “To say nothing of meetings in England; Duke and Armine have only to cough three times in October, and we should all go off together again, and be as jolly as ever.”
“I don’t mean to cough,” said Armine, gravely, “I’ve wasted enough of my life already.”
“In our company, eh?” said Sydney, “or are you to be taken by contraries?”
“No,” said Armine. “One has duties, and lotus-eating is uncommonly nice, but it won’t do to go on for ever. I wouldn’t have given in to it this winter if Allen hadn’t floored us.”
“And then when you thought I had got a tutor, and should do some good with him,” chimed in Babie, “he must needs go and fall in love and spoil our Miss Ogilvie.”
The disgust with which she uttered the words was so comic, that all the others burst out laughing.
And Fordham said—