"How long will you love me, I wonder?" she mused.
Woolf drew her on to his knees.
"So long as you look like you do now."
"You mean so long as I'm pretty? Wouldn't you love me if I looked like poor Mrs. Slightly? She's losing her fur."
"What's the matter with Mrs. Slightly?" he asked.
He did not care for Maggy's mongrel pets, and his tone was not encouraging. It put Maggy on her guard. She had a premonition that it would be best to hide Mrs. Slightly's secret until it could no longer be hidden.
"I'm not quite sure," she said.
"Where is she?"
"I left her in the bathroom. I'll get her. She hasn't had her supper yet."
She went out of the room. Woolf heard her calling the cat softly, then came a smothered exclamation, and she called to him eagerly, excitedly.