I noticed now that Dolly had a pile of papers on her table, and that she was playing with a blue pencil.
"Yes, Lady Mickleham," I said, in the provisional way in which judges indicate to counsel that they are ready to proceed.
"Well, I've been reading some of the Press Notices of the Dialogues, Mr. Carter."
I trembled. I remembered some of the things that had been said about Dolly and myself, which hardly lent themselves, it appeared to me, to this third party procedure.
"I thought," pursued Dolly, "we might spend the time in discussing the critics."
"I shall be delighted, if in doing that we shall dismiss the reporter."
"Have you seen this? It's from a Scotch paper—Scottish? you suggest—well, Scottish. 'The sketches are both lively and elegant, and their lightness is just what people want in the warm weather.'"
"It's a satisfaction to think that even our little breezes are a source of cool comfort to our fellow-creatures."
"Here's another criticism. 'It's a book which tempts the reader——'"
"It must have been something you said."