“Well, that doesn't surprise me,” he replied, quite unmoved. “Shall we talk of something else for a change? I find these eternal and barren discussions on uncle's death begin to pall on one after a time.”
“Mr Rumbold thinks it will fizzle out for want of evidence.”
“Mr Rumbold is probably right. Does he continue to sustain my afflicted aunts in their more anguished moments?”
“He does manage to soothe them,” admitted Stella, with a smile. “All the same, you needn't sneer at him, Randall: he's been most frightfully decent to us all.”
“I regard him with profound respect,” said Randall.
“I suppose that means you don't.”
“Why you should suppose anything of the sort is quite beyond my comprehension,” said Randall wearily.
“Well, whenever you say something nice about anybody it generally means the reverse,” said Stella.
“Ah, that is only when I am talking about my relations, or other persons of sub-normal intelligence,” said Randall. “I always respect brain when I meet it.”
“Thanks very much!” said Stella warmly. “I suppose you would class me as a sort of moron?”