“Did she?—Oh! Take some of that salade a la Russe. I gave the chef the recipe for it.—Did she?”
“Don’t you remember?”
“Those words were in my head. I put them down.”
“Are you fond of them?”
Her restless curiosity was still quite unsatisfied.
“I don’t know. But one has puzzled about conscience. Hasn’t one?”
He glanced at the Marchesino, who was bending forward to Vere, and illustrating something he was telling her by curious undulating gestures with both hands that suggested a flight.
“At least some of us have,” he continued. “And some never have, and never will.”
Hermione understood the comment on their fellow-guest.
“Do you think that saying explains it satisfactorily?” she said.