'And now you're asking yourself what you can do better than I can!'
She said, 'Go on.'
I stopped.
She charged me with being pulled up short.
I denied it.
'Guess, guess!' said she. 'You can't.'
My reply petrified her. 'You were thinking that you are a lady by birth on both sides.'
At first she refused to admit it. 'No, it wasn't that, Harry, it wasn't really. I was thinking how clever you are.'
'Yes, after, not before.'
'No, Harry, but you are clever. I wish I was half as clever. Fancy reading people's ideas! I can read my pony's, but that's different; I know by his ears. And as for my being a lady, of course I am, and so are you—I mean, a gentleman. I was thinking—now this is really what I was thinking—I wished your father lived near, that we might all be friends. I can't bear the squire when he talks.... And you quite as good as me, and better. Don't shake me off, Harry.'