“Have you told your sister?” she asked, after regarding him for a moment.
He found it difficult to answer truthfully, but could not do otherwise. He admitted that he had.
“I knew you would,” she returned, with a nod and an ambiguous smile. “And your friend, Gabriel?”
“No. I told you I should not. My sister is different.”
“Yes. Why should you not tell her? And you showed her my portrait?”
“I did.”
“What did she say?”
“Many kind and pleasant things—things you would have liked to hear.”
“Are you sure of that?”
“You don’t dislike to be praised.”