Nothing can outdo the brutality of a perfectly unaffected young girl under certain circumstances.
“I don’t class myself with either, thank you,” said Brook, justly offended. “You certainly manage to put things in a new light sometimes. I feel rather like that mule we saw yesterday.”
“Oh—I thought you didn’t class yourself with animals!” she laughed.
“Have you any particular reason for saying horridly disagreeable things?” asked Brook coldly.
There was a pause.
“I didn’t mean to be disagreeable—at least not so disagreeable as all that,” said Clare at last. “I don’t know why it is, but you have a talent for making me seem rude.”
“Force of example,” suggested Johnstone.
“No, I’ll say that for you—you have very good manners.”
“Thanks, awfully. Considering the provocation, you know, that’s an immense compliment.”
“I thought I would be ‘kind’ for a change. By the bye, what are we quarrelling about?” She laughed. “You began by saying something very nice to me, and then I told you that you were like the mule, didn’t I? It’s very odd! I believe you hypnotise me, after all.”