He is desperately in love."
"Then you haven't taken me into your confidence a moment too soon. Has
he declared his passion?"
"No; that's just the trouble. He goes mooning round and mooning round,
and never saying a word. And I'm sure," added the lady in an aggrieved
tone, "I've given him every opportunity. Yesterday after infinite
pains I brought him and Helene together in the arbour, and made some
pretext for escaping into the house. What did that--infant--do but
follow me out?"
"Quite natural, if his feelings towards you are such as you have
described."
"Towards _me_! You don't imagine I am talking of myself."
"That is what your words would lead one to believe."
"Oh, dear husband, you know perfectly well what I mean. I do think
that when a man sets out to be stupid he succeeds a thousand times
better than a woman. Surely you have noticed how badly Edward Macleod
and Helene DeBerczy are behaving."
"Really, my dear, I have not. I supposed they were behaving remarkably
well."
"In one sense--yes. They are as 'polite as peas.' But why _should_
they be polite?"
"Well, it is a custom of the country, I suppose.
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