"You are right. The time is long enough to fall in love with all three sisters, and much too short to decide which of them is to be preferred. The only way would be to take the whole batch from the nest."
"Are the nestlings so unfledged that they would submit to that?"
"To tell the truth I never thought of that. The chief thing for me is to get so enraptured with one of the sisters, that she should banish the other two from my mind. But at my age it is difficult to grow enthusiastic."
"Then all three are equally irresistible?"
"Quite so, all of them made to be kissed, and each of them a different style of beauty; so that when one sees them together one feels that one could never be satisfied with only one of them."
"Your account is given in too vague and extravagant terms. I wish to have it in proper order, and with every detail. First then comes the fair, then the auburn, then the dark one; or how do they follow in age?"
"I don't know."
"Well, then we will arrange them according to size, and begin with the smallest. Is it the auburn haired young lady?"
"I really cannot tell."
"You seem to have employed your time badly, or was it the triple fascination which had such power over your feelings from the first, that your senses left you?"