[1] Dear little Grandmother.
“Yes, that is true. As soon as ever he learnt that I was likely to inherit something from her he began to pay me his addresses. I thought you ought to know that.”
“Then he has only just begun his courting? Why, I thought he had been doing so a long while!”
“You know he has not,” retorted Polina angrily. “But where on earth did you pick up this Englishman?” She said this after a pause.
“I knew you would ask about him!” Whereupon I told her of my previous encounters with Astley while travelling.
“He is very shy,” I said, “and susceptible. Also, he is in love with you.”
“Yes, he is in love with me,” she replied.
“And he is ten times richer than the Frenchman. In fact, what does the Frenchman possess? To me it seems at least doubtful that he possesses anything at all.”
“Oh, no, there is no doubt about it. He does possess some château or other. Last night the General told me that for certain. Now are you satisfied?”
“Nevertheless, in your place I should marry the Englishman.”