“Oh, she doesn’t contradict. But she— There is something about her— One feels that things that are most important and vital are nothing to her. Don’t you feel it? She comes from another world to us.”
Mrs. Bunting remained judicial. Adeline dropped to a lower key again. “I think,” she said, “anyhow, that we’re taking her very easily. How do we know what she is? Down there, out there, she may be anything. She may have had excellent reasons for coming to land——”
“My dear!” cried Mrs. Bunting. “Is that charity?”
“How do they live?”
“If she hadn’t lived nicely I’m sure she couldn’t behave so nicely.”
“Besides—coming here! She had no invitation——”
“I’ve invited her now,” said Mrs. Bunting gently.
“You could hardly help yourself. I only hope your kindness——”
“It’s not a kindness,” said Mrs. Bunting, “it’s a duty. If she were only half as charming as she is. You seem to forget”—her voice dropped—“what it is she comes for.”
“That’s what I want to know.”