"Cousin Basil!" cried Gertrude, starting. "What did you come here for?
I brought Miss Starling here to have a good talk with her."
"Have you had it?"
"I haven't had time. I was just beginning."
"What! about dancing?"
"I was not speaking for you to hear. I was relieving myself by the confession that I can't live—happily, I mean—without it."
"Choice of partners immaterial?"
"I couldn't bear a dull life!"
"Nor I."
He looked as if he certainly did not know what dulness was, Diana thought. She listened, much amused.
"But you think it is wrong to dance, don't you?" Gertrude went on.