"It's impossible for me to be comfortable," said Rufus. "I've got Mr. Haye on my hands and I don't know what to do with him."
"Mr. Herder!" — Rose called out to him, — "do come here and tell us about cameos, that we can sit down and be comfortable."
Very good-humouredly the naturalist left Mr. Haye and came to them, and presently was deep in quartz and silica, and onyx and chalcedony, and all manner of stones that are precious. He told all that Elizabeth wanted to know, and much more than she had dreamed of knowing. Even Rose listened; and Rufus was eagerly attentive; and Elizabeth after she had asked questions as far as her knowledge allowed her to push them, sighed and wished she knew everything.
"Then you would be more wise than anybody, Miss Elisabet' — you would be too wise. The man who knows the most, knows that he knows little."
"Is that your opinion of yourself, Mr. Herder?" said Rufus.
"Certainly. I do know very little; — I will know more, I hope."
"O Mr. Herder, you know enough," said Rose. "I shouldn't think you would want to study any more."
"If I was to say, I know enough, — that would be to say that I do not know nozing at all."
"Mr. Winthrop, you don't seem as interested as the rest of us," said Elizabeth, perhaps with a little curiosity; for he had stood quietly by, letting even Mr. Satterthwaite push himself in between.
"O he," said the naturalist, — "he knows it all before."