"You acknowledge, then, that you had some provincial prejudices. Let me see! then I must take you regularly to account, and catechise you."
"Well," said the lady, as lightly as her habitual sadness ever permitted, "I will answer truly."
"I know you will speak truly whatever you do answer; but will you speak the whole truth in answer to whatever I shall ask?"
A sad and afflicted expression appeared upon her countenance as she replied, "I need hardly say to Mr. Chevillere, that those questions which are proper for him to ask and for me to hear shall be fully answered."
"You do me but justice in supposing that I would not discredit my new dignity, by propounding questions which would lessen me in the eyes of a fair witness; but, to tell you the truth, I seriously meditated putting a few in addition to such as were local, and perhaps in a more serious mood than these might demand."
"Proceed, sir, proceed," said the lady, somewhat perturbed; "I must reserve the right to answer or not. No trifling impediment, however, shall prevent me from gratifying your curiosity."
"Would you consider it a great misfortune to reside in the southern states?"
"Places and countries are to me nearly alike."
"How so? You surely prefer your native land to all others?"
"Unhappiness soon makes us indifferent to mere locality; situated as I am, many would prefer new scenes."