"Is it worse than when I was here two months ago?" enquired Emma, secretly smiling at her young friend's remarks.
"We shall soon see," replied Annie; "if there were any one to fall in love with here, I am certain you would be in a dangerous position."
"Well, why should you except me?" said Mr. Bridge, "here I am a bachelor, why may I not aspire to be considered as a dangerous individual?"
"You, my dear Mr. Bridge—because you are engaged to me; you know you long ago promised to marry me yourself," replied Annie.
"I am flattered at your remembering our engagement, young lady, but I am astonished that you are left so long to me without competition; I think you must be something like Beatrice."
"No, I never had lovers to mock," said she, "except Mr. Alfred Fremantle, and he is the facsimile of Sir John Suckling's constant lover, or rather he resembles him in constancy, but has none of his wit to express it. What is it he says—
"I have been in love three days,
And shall be three days more."
"I cannot remember the words exactly, but it is something to that effect."
Sam turned round from the window, and repeated the lines to which Annie alluded. She looked astonished.