He looked at her rather oddly, and said, “Fie!”
“Forgive me,” she said, laughing a little, a little frightened, and blushing very deeply.
“Ah, Miss Elfie, why didn’t you say at first, as any firm woman would have said, I am as bad as she, and shall choose the same?”
“I don’t know,” said Elfride wofully, and with a distressful smile.
“I thought you were exceptionally musical?”
“So I am, I think. But the test is so severe—quite painful.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Music doesn’t do any real good, or rather——”
“That IS a thing to say, Miss Swancourt! Why, what——”
“You don’t understand! you don’t understand!”