Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/96

82 "Fortunately you didn't cut it short. We had settled the question. He had got his answer."

"If I had known it I would have congratulated Mr. Vidal," Jean pursued.

"You would have frightened him out of his wits—he's so dreadfully shy," Rose laughed.

"Yes—I could see he was dreadfully shy. But the great thing," Jean candidly observed, "is that he was not too dreadfully shy to come back to you."

Rose continued to be moved to mirth. "Oh, I don't mean with me! He's as bold with me as I am—for instance—with you." Jean had not touched the child, but Rose smoothed our [sic] her ribbons as if to redress some previous freedom. "You'll think that says everything. I can easily imagine how you judge my frankness," she added. "But of course I'm grossly immodest—I always was."

Jean wistfully watched her light hands play here and there over Effie's adornments. " I think you're a person of great courage—if you'll let me also be frank. There's nothing in the world I admire so much—for I don't consider that I've, myself, a great deal. I daresay, however, that I should let you know just as soon if I were engaged."