“I don’t even know what it is” said Miriam trying to bring gladness into her voice.
“Oh—this is great. Caviare to the million eh?—oh, I ought not to have put it like that, things one would rather have said otherwise—no offence intended—none taken I hope—don’t yeh know really?—Sturgeon’s roe, y’know.”
“Oh, I know I don’t like roe” said Miriam gravely.
“Chalk it up. Miss Henderson doesn’t like roe.”
Miriam flushed. Pressing back through her anger to what had preceded she found inspiration.
“My education has been neglected.”
“Quite so, but now’s your chance. Seize your opportunity; carpe diem. See?”
“I thought it was caviare, not carp” said Mr. Hancock quietly.
Was it a rescue, or a sacrifice to the embarrassing occasion? She had never heard him jest with the Orlys. Mrs. Orly chuckled gleefully, flashing out the smile that Miriam loved. It took every line from her care-fashioned face and lit it with a most extraordinary radiance. She had smiled like that as a girl in response to the jests of her many brothers ... her eyes were sweet; there was a perfect sweetness in her somewhere.
“Bravo Hancock, that’s a good one.... Ye gods and fishes large and small listen to that” he murmured half turning towards the door.