“Ah! now I see why you did not open your lips during our discussion.”
“No, I know I have nothing to hide. This was not the motive which made me keep silence, but the pleasure of listening. I admired my cousin, who was not afraid to display her learning on a subject which any other girl would have affected to know nothing about.”
“Yes, affected, though she might very probably know as much as her grandmother.”
“That’s a matter of morals, or rather of prejudices.”
“Your reasoning is admirable, and I am already longing for the party you so cleverly suggested.”
“You will have the pleasure of being with my cousin.”
“I do her justice. Hedvig is certainly a very interesting and agreeable girl, but believe me it is your presence that will constitute my chief enjoyment.”
“And how if I do not believe you?”
“You would wrong me and give me pain, for I love you dearly.”
“In spite of that you have deceived me. I am sure that you have given marks of your affection to those three young ladies. For my part I pity them.”