"Do you know what people say?"
"No, I don't care at all. What is it that people say?"
"You see that you do care! They say that she was married to a rich man with a title."
"Married——"
"Married as much as one can be, before the mayor and the priest."
"What nonsense! she would bear her husband's name and title."
"Ah! there you are! There's a mystery about her. When I have time, I propose to investigate it, and I will tell you what I learn. They say that she has no known lover, although she leads a very independent life. But of course you know how that is, don't you?"
"I don't know the first thing about it. Come, come! do you suppose I pass my life watching and questioning women? I am not an idler like you. I find life hardly long enough to live and work."
"As to living, I don't say that you are not right. You seem to live hard enough, my boy. But as to working,—they say that you don't work enough. Let us see, what have you there? Let me look!"
"No, it's nothing; I have nothing started here."