"I don't know what you mean."
"I mean, you are not kind in your manner toward me. I left you--I hoped you would remember--to do a favor for you----"
"For me?" Her tone was not in the least reassuring.
"At least, I conceived it to be for you," he replied.
"That is a mistake."
"Very good. Let us call it mistake number one. I spent five days with Dolly and her guests----"
"Guests," repeated Alice, lingering slightly on the word, as she poked the turf slowly with her sunshade, "or guest?"
"Guest!" he echoed, "Ah!" He paused. "Who has put me wrong in so simple a matter? What I did was no more than to be agreeable to Dolly's guests. I spent much time with the guest of honor at Dolly's repeated requests. She happened to sing a song that pleased me very much, for one particular reason; it was your lovely little Italian air; I am not ashamed to say it brought back pleasant moments. Since she could do nothing else that was so pleasing," he continued, "I kept her singing the song. She became bored and naturally ceased to be good-natured. Then, Dolly asked me to run around by Nantucket, which we could have done in two days. Not to be churlish, I consented. Then the coal gave out, which took another day."
"What a mishap! Well, I am glad to hear the trip went pleasantly."
"If you are, something has gone wrong with you----"