“My friend,” she replied, “we never even think of such things as that. I hope you are not serious in asking the question.”
“Forgive me, Antonia,” I answered; “I hardly know what I am saying.”
And then I rose and followed Mona, and said to her when I came near:
“Well, my dear, what do you and Foedric find so pleasant to talk about?”
“Why, you see,” she replied, “Foedric was the first one to find me after you were hurt, and has been very kind to me since, and I have just been telling him I love him. You said it made you happy to hear me say it to you, and I wanted to make him happy too. And then I wanted to see if Foedric would make such funny speeches as you did.”
I controlled myself enough to ask:
“And what did Foedric say?”
“Why, his answer made me laugh more than yours did. He said it would make you unhappy to know I had said such a thing to him. I replied that I would tell you myself, and that you were always happy when I said anything to you; and then you came up just in time.”
“Now, Mona, do you think it is right to make sport of such a serious matter?”
“I assure you I am in earnest in all I have said.”