'Me! pray, what is there droll about me?'
'Oh, I don't know. I can't tell. But you are droll—very droll.'
'Really, I was not conscious of it.'
'Were you aware that you occupy a seat directly in front of me in church?'
'Certainly; that's not droll, is it?'
'Well, yes; I think it is, rather. But that is not what I was going to say. Will you answer me one question truly? It will seem strange for me to ask it,' simpered Arabella; 'but you must know your cousin Mrs. Bennett and I are the dearest friends—the very dearest friends; and meeting you here, it seems different, and I am not so much afraid of you.'
Hiram sat with eyes wide open, in affected ignorance of what could possibly come next.
'Now you put me out, indeed you do; I can never say what I was going to, in the world.'
'Do,' said Hiram, gently.
'Well, will you tell me why you refused to be introduced to me, and who it is that has so prejudiced you against me?'