“And am I never to be allowed to forget mine?” I answered. “But I’ll enter into an agreement with you, Theresa, never to remind you of your nonsense, if you will promise never to remind me of mine.”
“I agree.”
“So then, my wrong-headed penchant for Conny is to be forgotten as if no such a thing had ever been?”
“Well, I’ll do my best to forget.”
“I am afraid you will never see anything to like in me until you do forget.”
“Why do you say that?” she asked, quickly.
“No girl can possibly have any respect or regard for a man she considers a flirt.”
“Oh, if you will have your theories about your sex, it is better, for your peace of mind, that they should not be contradicted.... Here’s the phaeton!”
Yes, there it was, Conny next the coachman, Curling and his beau-père behind.
The two cousins kissed each other profusely—in short, as only young girls can kiss. Nothing could surpass Theresa’s gracefully cordial reception of little Conny, and her polite greeting to Mr. Curling. Conny looked bewitchingly pretty. She gave me her hand and smiled at me with her eyes. Ah, my child, those smiles can’t affect me now. Don your loveliest airs, strike your most irresistible attitude, you would find in me an unmoved spectator.