Nairn twitched visibly, but offered no explanation, and there was another silence. Presently the girl observed genially:
“You remember, Mr Nairn, while we were driving along that night, you were telling us about the training of horses? You remember, don’t you?”
“Yes,” said Nairn grumpily.
“You remember,” resumed the girl, smiling sweetly—“you remember telling us that you considered the various types of animals higher or lower according to their susceptibility to kindness and gentle treatment—that the horse, for instance, stands higher than the mule or the donkey. Now,” said she, turning to him with laughing eyes but earnest mien, “I wanted to ask you which of those two is the one upon which patience and kindness and good temper are most wasted.”
“You mean, whether I am a mule or an ass?”
Nairn looked round, vainly endeavouring not to smile.
“Oh dear, oh dear!” said Miss Kate, laughing and moving to the door; “I’m afraid the poor old head is very bad to-day! Here are the others. I must go. Good-bye.”
“Did you mean that I—”
“Say good-bye at once, or I’ll sit down again and refuse to leave.”
“I won’t! Tell me, did—”