Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/195

x] Lady Muriel joined us for a moment. "Isn't it beautiful?" she whispered, to Arthur, with a mischievous smile.

"No, it isn't!" said Arthur. But the gentle sweetness of his face quite neutralised the apparent rudeness of the reply.

"Such execution, you know!" she persisted.

"That's what she deserves," Arthur doggedly replied: "but people are so prejudiced against capital"

"Now you're beginning to talk nonsense!" Lady Muriel cried. "But you do like Music, don't you? You said so just now."

"Do I like Music?" the Doctor repeated softly to himself. "My dear Lady Muriel, there is Music and Music. Your question is painfully vague. You might as well ask 'Do you like People?

Lady Muriel bit her lip, frowned, and stamped with one tiny foot. As a dramatic representation of ill-temper, it was distinctly not a success. However, it took in one of her audience, and Bruno hastened to interpose, as peacemaker in a rising quarrel, with the remark "I likes Peoples!"