Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 1.djvu/123

 should like to see one of ces dames—the real ones—coming in to sit with me!'

'Oh, you are not a cripple; you have got the use of your legs!'

'Yes, and of my arms!' cried the Frenchwoman.

'This lady looks after several others in our court, and she reads to my sister.'

'Oh, well, you are patient, you English.'

'We shall never do anything without that,' said M. Paul, with undisturbed good-humour.

'You are perfectly right; you can't say that too often. It will be a tremendous job, and only the strong will prevail,' his host murmured, a little wearily, turning his eyes to Madame Poupin, who approached slowly, holding the tisane in a rather full bowl, and tasting it again and yet again as she came.

Hyacinth had been watching his fellow-visitor with deepening interest; a fact of which M. Paul apparently became aware, for he said, presently, giving a little nod in the direction of the bed, 'He says we ought to know each other. I'm sure I have nothing against it. I like to know folk, when they're worth it!'

Hyacinth was too pleased with this even to take it up; it seemed to him, for a moment, that he couldn't touch it gracefully enough. But he said, with sufficient eagerness, 'Will you tell me all about your plot?'

'Oh, it's no plot. I don't think I care much for plots.' And with his mild, steady, light-blue English eye, M. Paul certainly had not much the appearance of a conspirator.

'Isn't it a new era?' asked Hyacinth, rather disappointed.