“That is the wittiest turning of satire into comedy I have ever known,” she cried. “And it makes my explanation easy. Mr. Long, I desire to be your best friend; and when a woman professes a wish to be a man’s best friend, you may be sure that she wants him to stand in that relationship to her. But you gathered, I know, that I was thinking at least as much of myself as of you when I made you that offer.”
“I give you credit for thinking most of the one worthiest of your thoughts, Mrs. Abington,” said he.
She took a step nearer to him.
“Mr. Long,” she said in a lower tone, “these young people are very well, and they make delightful companions for us, but they cannot always be depended on.”
“You mean that——”
“I mean that Dick Sheridan and Betsy Linley were once in love with each other, and that they fancy they love each other still.”
“That means that they are to be depended on, does it not?”
“They may be depended on to lose no opportunity of making fools of themselves if we allow them, Mr. Long.”
“Does that mean that they may be trusted to marry, the one you, t’other me?”
“It means that you would do well to keep an eye on Elizabeth Linley, or you will lose her, sir.”