Mr. Diamond paused. "The man is an enthusiast, you know," he answered, gravely.
"But as to his doctrine? Give me some idea of the kind of thing he says."
"Not now."
"Yes; now. This moment."
"Excuse me; I cannot enter into the subject now."
Minnie raises her brown eyes to his steel-grey ones, and then drops her own quickly.
"Will you ever?" she asks, meekly.
"Perhaps. I don't know."
Miss Bodkin is not accustomed to be answered with such unceremonious curtness; but, perhaps on account of its novelty, Mr. Diamond's blunt disregard of her requests (in that house Minnie's requests have the weight of commands) does not ruffle her. She bears it with the most perfect sweetness, and proceeds to discourse of other things.
"Don't you think it a pity," she says, "that Algernon Errington should have refused his cousin's offer?"