“She means feeble,” said the Terror. “But all the same those gardens are big enough; there’s plenty of room to run about in them.”
“But I do not run. It is not dignified. The Baroness Von Aschersleben would be shocked,” said the princess with a somewhat prim air.
“No wonder you’re delicate,” said Erebus, politely trying to keep a touch of contempt out of her tone, and failing.
“One can not help being delicate,” said the princess.
“I don’t know,” said the Terror doubtfully. “If you’re in the open air a lot and do run about, you don’t keep delicate. Wiggins used to be delicate, but he isn’t now.”
“Who is Wiggins?” said the princess.
“He’s a friend of ours—not so old as we are—quite a little boy,” said Erebus in a patronizing tone which Wiggins, had he been present, would have resented with extreme bitterness. “Besides, Doctor Arbuthnot told Mrs. Blenkinsop that if you were always in the open air, playing with children of your own age, you’d soon get strong.”
“That’s what I’ve come to England for,” said the princess.
“I don’t think there’s much chance of your getting strong in that peach-garden. It didn’t feel to me like the open air at all,” said the Terror firmly.
“But it is the open air,” said the princess.