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told me that I should know you—how long is it—six months?—that I should take you to the dinner, to the dance, to the theatre, to the night-club, that we should walk ourselves in the woods, that we should drive by day and by night in our little Bomb , and at the end of it I should not have so much as one kiss to remember— ma foi! I should have told him, ‘Sir, you are a dam liar!’”
    Sarah looked at him reprovingly.
    â€œWell, that just shows you. It’s a very good lesson for you, my child. Respectability’s my strong suit. If I hadn’t a most beautiful blameless character, how do you suppose I’d ever get a job?”
    Bertrand groaned.
    â€œRespectable!” he said. “Mon Dieu, Sarah—what a word! Are you a concierge , or the mother of a family, that you should be respectable? ”
    Sarah put out her tongue again.
    â€œRespectable I am, and respectable I stay.”
    He threw up his hands.
    â€œWith those eyes, and those lips, and that colour!”
    Sarah turned her head and gazed appreciatively at her own reflection in the mirror behind Mr. Brown. She did not see him at all. She only saw her own bright eyes and heightened bloom. She turned back to Bertrand with a pleased smile.
    â€œNice—aren’t they?” she said, and then arrested Henri as he passed. “Biscuits, cheese, and butter—lots of butter. And white coffee for me, and black for Mr. Darnac.”
    They helped themselves, and then Bertrand said,
    â€œAnd what becomes of me when you have gone to make the eyes at your old country squire?”
    â€œI don’t make eyes,” said Miss Trent with dignity. “I don’t have to. And I suppose you’ll go back to the Manifolds, carry on with your job of learning how to speak English, and finish up by marrying Eleanor according to plan.”
    He shook his head.
    â€œNo, I shall never do that,” he said seriously.
    â€œAnd what will the families say if you don’t?”
    He made a lively grimace.
    â€œThey will not like it, but they will, as you say, lump it, my dear. Without any joking at all, that is what they will have to do. It is very embêtant for everyone that the property must come to me and the money to Eleanor. If we liked each other, it would be all very nice and easy—so my little mother thinks. She is still in her heart a good deal English, though, as you know, she has really never lived here. She writes to her brother and suggests that I should come over on a long visit and learn the English and make friends with ma belle cousine .”
    â€œI was there when the letter came,” said Sarah, laughing. “Major Manifold was most awfully cross. He hates visitors, and he hates the idea of anyone marrying Eleanor. He’d like her to be just a little girl always. But Lady Constance was pleased.”
    Bertrand nodded.
    â€œWell, that is how it is—I do not like Eleanor, and Eleanor does not like me. When I hold her hand it is as if I held a piece of cold fish. How can one embrace a large, pale, cold fish? I ask you, my dear!”
    Sarah said, “Nonsense!”
    â€œNo, it is the truth. And besides I do not think it is eugenic for cousins to marry. I have written to maman about that. I am very strong for the eugenics.”
    â€œYou wouldn’t have thought about them if you’d liked Eleanor. And she’s not in the least like a fish.”
    â€œFor me she is. And vois tu , Sarah, I do not ask the impossibilities. It is necessary that I should marry a girl who has money—that is understood. I do not demand that I should be love waith her passionately, as for example I could so very easily be in love with you.”
    â€œThe kind compliment is noted!”
    Betrand frowned at her levity.
    â€œI do not demand that—I have said so to maman . I ask only that she should not remind me of cold fish.” Quite suddenly his gravity broke up into a