‘No,’ muttered Giles. ‘What was it?’
‘She said, “He’s most interesting. He knows everyone.” ’
Anne folded her hands and, with a sigh, gazed up at some small grey clouds crossing the sky.
‘I find nothing marvellous in that,’ said Giles.
‘Oh, good gracious!’ cried Anne impatiently. ‘Just think of it— to know everyone! Fancy travelling to a foreign country and going up to the King and saying, “Well, here I am!” ’
‘Humph!’ her brother muttered. ‘And I can imagine its being a great nuisance, too, to know everyone. For, mark you, that means also to be known by everyone; having everyone poke his nose in your business; never able to go anywhere without someone saying he saw you do this or he saw you do that.’
‘Oh, but just think,’ said Anne, ‘every time you went into a church, or down the street, having all heads turn and say, “There goes Anne.” ... I wonder how one goes about getting to know everyone. How many people do you know, Giles?’
‘Oh, six or seven,’ said Giles. ‘That is, not counting Mother and Father and Uncle Remigius. I suppose family doesn’t count. After all, you have to know your family—My goodness! Is that rain falling?’
‘That’s what it is,’ said Anne.
While the children had been talking, the heavens had become quickly overcast with heavy black clouds; and now great, big, single drops were splashing all about them with a promise of a regular downpour soon to come.