“Ay, it won’t be very endearing when we cut down a few allowances,” her visitor concurred. “But I want to please you; I want to be as much as possible like Hyacinth,” he went on.
“That’s not the way to please me. I don’t forgive him—he’s very foolish.”
“Ah don’t say that; he’s a fine little flute!” Paul protested.
“He’s a delightful nature, with extraordinary qualities. But he’s deplorably conventional.”
“Yes, if you talk about taking things seriously—he takes them so,” Muniment again agreed.
“Has he ever told you his life?” the Princess asked.
“He hasn’t required to tell me. I’ve seen a good bit of it.”
“Yes, but I mean before you knew him.”
Paul thought. “His birth and his poor mother? I think it was Rosy told me all that.”
“And pray how did she know?”