"I hear you're engaged to Hugo," he said, speaking carefully and spacing the syllables so that they did not run into each other as they showed an inclination to do.
"Yes."
"I congratulate you."
"You ought to congratulate him, oughtn't you, and just say to me that you hope I'll be happy?"
"I hope you will be happy," said John, accepting this maxim from the Book of Etiquette.
"Thanks."
"Very happy."
"Thanks."
There was a pause.
"It's—a little sudden, isn't it?"