"No, my presence would spoil it. A child playing with her kitten needs no other figures to complete the picture."
"Ah, that spoils your compliment."
"Mr. Winthrop very judiciously mixes his sweets and bitters," Mrs. Flaxman said with a smile.
"Yes; I should be too vain if he gave me a compliment really. I wonder if he ever will do that?" I looked up into his face and saw that its expression was kindly.
"You would not wish me to spoil you. If my praising you made you vain, as you just said it would, that would be the worst unkindness."
"I want you always to be honest with me. A very slight word of praise then will have its genuine meaning."
"Now that we have once more settled our relations to each other, we will take our dinners. One must descend from the highest summits to the trivialities of eating and drinking."
"I have never seen you very high up yet, Mr. Winthrop. I do not think there is a spark of sentiment in your composition."
"Alas, that I should be so misjudged. But wait until your friend Bovyer shows you my tears."
Mrs. Flaxman generally looked a trifle worried when Mr. Winthrop and I got into conversation. This night, when I wanted every one to be happy, I held my troublesome tongue in check, and made no further reply to my guardian's badinage.