Miss Fanny's sense of the ludicrous was strong, and this pathetic appeal caused her to burst into laughter.
"More ridiculous than ever, as I live!" she cried, "though I thought that was impossible."
"Did you?"
"Yes."
Mr. Ashley gently twined a lock around his finger, and assuming a foppish air, replied:
"I don't know whether you thought it impossible for me to become more ridiculous; but you can't help confessing, my own Fanny, that you doubted whether I could grow more fascinating."
Fanny's lip curled.
"Oh, yes!" she said.
"Come—don't deny what was perfectly plain—it won't do."
"Deny—?"