"Anybody out of the house, I meant," said Lady Keith.
"Speak, Ellen, and clear yourself," said Mr. Lindsay.
"I like some people," said Ellen, smiling; "I don't think I like a great many people very much."
"But you don't like young people," said Lady Keith "that is what I complain of; and it's unnatural. Now there's the other day, when you went to ride with Miss Gordon and her brother, and Miss M'Pherson and her brother I heard you say you were not sorry to get home. Now, where will you find pleasanter young people?"
"Why don't you like them, Ellen?" said Mrs. Lindsay.
"I do like them, Ma'am, tolerably."
"What does 'tolerably' mean?"
"I should have liked my ride better the other day," said
Ellen, "if they had talked about sensible things."
"Nonsense!" said Lady Keith. "Society cannot be made up of M.
Mullers."
"What did they talk about, Ellen?" said Mr. Lindsay, who seemed amused.