They began to laugh together, and Dan was at once inexpressibly happy. Those two light natures thoroughly comprehended each other.
Mrs. Pasmer had proposed his seeing Alice with due seriousness, but now she had a longing to let herself go; she felt all the pleasure that other people felt in doing Dan Mavering a pleasure, and something more, because he was so perfectly intelligible to her. She let herself go.
“You might stay to breakfast.”
“Mrs. Pasmer, I will—I will do that too. I'm awfully hungry, and I put myself in your hands.”
“Let me see,” said Mrs. Pasmer thoughtfully, “how it can be contrived.”
“Yes;” said Mavering, ready for a panic. “How? She wouldn't stand a surprise?”
“No; I had thought of that.”
“No behind-a-screen or next-room business?”
“No,” said Mrs. Pasmer, with a light sigh. “Alice is peculiar. I'm afraid she wouldn't like it.”
“Isn't there any little ruse she would like?”