"About me, I hope," answered the gentleman addressed, in tolerable English, and with a gallant jocularity.
"Well, no—not about you," said old Miss Blunket, timidly. "But I so wished for you to take part in the argument."
"And why wish for me?" answered the sardonic old fellow, amused, maybe the least bit in the world flattered.
"Well, I think you have the power, Monsieur Varbarriere, of putting a great deal in very few words—I mean, of making an argument so clear and short."
Varbarriere laughed indulgently, and began to think Miss Blunket a rather intelligent person.
"And what was the subject, pray?"
"Whether life was happier in town or country."
"Oh! the old debate—country mouse against town mouse," replied Varbarriere.
"Ah, just so—so true—I don't think anyone said that, and—and—I do wish to know which side you would have taken."
"The condition being that it should be all country or all town, of course, and that we were to retain our incomes?"