She held up her finger threateningly, and said, "Now don't be severe, I am one of those young ladies: I never miss a Faraday, and am never allowed to miss a Friday evening. Oh! you need not look astonished. I sleep very comfortably there, believe me."
He laughed, and continued,—
"Then I can forgive your attendance. Science ought to be quite content with female votaries of dubious ages. I am sure if it has the bogies, it may leave us idlers the beauties for our comfort. I quite sympathize with you in your aversion to manufactures. They are very wonderful, doubtless; but as I am not going to set up a mill or a factory of my own, the processes are superlatively uninteresting."
"And if I may be so bold as to ask it, why do I see you here?"
"Upon my word, I can hardly tell. Why does one go anywhere? Mere idleness and imitation. Wherever I go, it is almost always dull, and this house is duller than most; but one occasionally meets with a recompense, as I have this evening."
"In sitting next to me, eh? I accept the compliment, though it might have been newer."
"Well, at any rate, it bears out my confession of ignorance. I know not even how to turn a compliment!"
"Is not that Dr. Lindley?"
"I believe so. You are a disciple of his of course? One may know botany without being formidable."
"I am glad of that, because I am supposed to be learned in that department."