“Thank you, my dear sir; you are really a wonderful man.”
“You do me too much honour, count, there is nothing wonderful about me, except that I execute easily an easy task.”
“Yes; but you will confess that a thing may be difficult from the way in which we regard it, or from the position in which we find ourselves.”
“You are quite right.”
When we were again on our way the countess said,—
“You must confess, sir, that you are a very fortunate man.”
“I do not deny it, my dear countess, but my happiness is due to the company I find myself in; if you were to expel me from yours, I should be miserable.”
“You are not the kind of man to be expelled from any society.”
“That is a very kindly compliment.”
“Say, rather, a very true one.”