Page:Anthony Hope - The Dolly Dialogues.djvu/15

 'loTo [sic] Phil Meadows? Oh, nothing. I just slipped in a remark here and there, whenever he talked nonsense. I used to speak just at the right time, you know.'

'But how had your words such influence, Miss Foster?'

'Oh, well, you know, Mr. Carter, I made it a condition that he should do just what I wanted in little things like that. Did he think I was going to walk about with a man carrying a brown-paper parcel—as if he had been to the shop for a pound of tea?'

'Still, I don't see why he should alter all his'

'Oh, you are stupid! Of course, he liked me, you know.'

'Oh, did he? I see.'

'You seem to think that very funny.'

'Not that he did—but that, apparently, he doesn't.'

'Well, you got out of that rather neatly—for you. No, he doesn't now. You see, he misunderstood my motive. He thought—well, I do believe he thought I cared for him, you know. Of course I didn't.'

'Not a bit?'

'Just as a friend—and a pupil, you know. And when he'd had his hair cut and bought a frock-coat (fancy! he'd never had one!), he looked quite nice. He has nice eyes. Did you notice them?'

'Lord, no!'

'Well, you're so unobservant.'