“Mariana. Mariana does not give you a very good character, you know?”
“And is your strength of mind great enough to withstand her libels?”
“Well, yes. I like to form my own opinions. Besides, the best fun is, Mariana does not understand she’s saying anything against you. She tells me all kinds of things, taking you quite for granted.”
“When do you find time for these interesting conversations?”
“At night—and sometimes in the early morning. She never neglects her work to gossip. But when she talks it’s always to the point.”
“Rosalie, if you wish to possess any fascination, which is another word for beauty, you must learn to keep all your thoughts, opinions, and feelings to yourself. It is not conducive to interest to be told of a person’s state too freely. One must be left to find it for oneself.”
“Do you find me uninteresting?”
“Very much so. I do not know another man of my acquaintance on Lucifram who would tolerate your company for half an hour.”
Her eyes travelled to his with a very real and living pain in them.
“I don’t know anything about men except that they’re very clever. But I’d be quite content to earn the good graces of the women.”