“And dances charmingly,” added the gentleman.
“I daresay she does,” said Roma, with perfect composure, “but it isn’t only her dancing. You have sat out some dances with her too.”
“She is exceedingly nice to talk to,” observed he.
“I daresay she is,” said Roma again; “but for all that, Beauchamp—you may trust me, I don’t speak without reason, and you mustn’t mind my saying it. I do hope you are not going to be silly?”
Beauchamp smiled—a smile that said several things, all of which, however, were perfectly intelligible to his companion.
“Ah yes,” she said philosophically—“ah, yes, sir, you may smile and look contemptuous. I understand you. I understand why you looked so delighted just now when I began to speak about the girl—really, I did not think you could be so silly as that, and certainly you have one defence at your command! It is not the first, nor, I dare say, the twentieth little amusement of the kind you have indulged in. You are perfectly aware of the rules of the game, and in a general way, uncommonly well able to take care of yourself. But allow me to warn you that some day you may burn your own fingers. You think they are fire-proof? They are no such thing. You are just in the humour and at the stage to do something silly.”
“You think so?” he said. “Very well. Wait till you see me again, and then you shall see if you were right.”
“Very well. I shall see, and I only hope I shall be wrong. Seriously, Beauchamp, it would be in every way the silliest things of the kind you could do. Neither you nor I can afford to make any mistake of that sort, and you much less than I, for you would be the last, man to make the best of such a mistake once committed. I know all about Miss Laurence. I like her, and she interests me, and it is not only on practical grounds I warn you, though you know I value those sufficiently.”
“You certainly do,” he remarked, satirically.
“Well? I am not ashamed of doing so,” she answered calmly. “But suppose you are ‘proof,’ as you think, Beauchamp, that doesn’t say that child is, does it? And I am getting to feel differently about that sort of thing. I suppose it is a sign of advancing years.”