"No, madame—ma'm'zelle. I am Phil Carré."
"Oh!... You are not then one of Mademoiselle Le Marchant's brothers?"
"No, ma'm'zelle."
"Oh!"
"We have always been friends since we were children," I explained stumblingly, for her bright little eyes were fixed on me, through her gold-rimmed spectacles, like little gimlets, and made me feel as if I was doing something quite wrong in being there.
"Ah!" which seemed to imply that she had suspected something of the kind, and it was a good thing for Carette that she was safely removed from such companionship in the future.
"And I am going off on my first voyage to the West Indies—"
"Ah!" in a tone that seemed to say that as far as she and her house were concerned it was to be hoped I would stop there.
"And I thought I would like to see Carette again before I went—"
"Ah!... And may I ask if you have sought permission from Mademoiselle Le Marchant's relatives before making this call?"