‘Who told you it was dull?’
‘All your actions and words tell me so.’
‘You and I are what they call quiet people,’ she remarked. ‘Not impressionable, and all that kind of thing.’
‘I believe that is the general opinion of our characters.’
‘Well, and people also seem to think that such creatures—pachydermatous, don’t they call animals with thick skins——’
‘Has Michael been lending you some science primers to while away the time in the winter evenings? What a happy thought of his!’
‘You haven’t answered my question.’
‘They do—pachydermatous is the word.’
‘They seem to think that, because we are not all on fire, and jerking about, for nothing, we can do without any excitement at all.’
‘I have observed the existence of the delusion you speak of. Yes, thank you, I will have some more cake.’