"No, dear Fanny, neither the one nor the other—only—"
"'Only,' my love?"
"Only—but you've heard it already, of course,—you would be the very first to know of it!"
"Letitia, my dear—I always hated conundrums, you'll remember."
"I mean, every one is talking of it, already."
"Heigho! How warm the sun is!"
"Of course it may be only gossip, but they do say Cleone Meredith has refused the hand of your grandnephew."
"Jerningham, oh yes," added the Duchess, "on the whole, it's just as well."
"But I thought—" the hawk-eyes were very piercing indeed. "I feared it would be quite a blow to you—"
The Duchess shook her head, with a little ripple of laughter.