"I like his enthusiasm."
The lady withdrew into her thoughts; Weyburn fell upon his work.
Mention of the military cloak of enthusiasm covering Shalders, brought the scarce credible old time to smite at his breast, in the presence of these eyes. A ringing of her title of Lady Ormont rendered the present time the incredible.
"I can hardly understand a young Frenchman's not entering the army," she said.
"The Napoleonic legend is weaker now," said he.
"The son of an officer!"
"Grandson."
"It was his choice to be,—he gave it up without reluctance?"
"Emile obeyed the command of his parents," Weyburn answered; and he was obedient to the veiled direction of her remark, in speaking of himself: "I had a reason, too."
"One wonders!"