Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 1.djvu/129

 Hyacinth from over her counterpane, and he felt slightly embarrassed, for he had never yet been presented to a young lady in her position. 'You mustn't mind her being in bed—she's always in bed,' her brother went on. 'She's in bed just the same as a little trout is in the water.'

'Dear me, if I didn't receive company because I was in bed, there wouldn't be much use, would there, Lady Aurora?'

Rosy made this inquiry in a light, gay tone, darting her brilliant eyes at her companion, who replied instantly, with still greater hilarity, and in a voice which struck Hyacinth as strange and affected, 'Oh, dear, no, it seems quite the natural place!' Then she added, 'And it's such a pretty bed, such a comfortable bed!'

'Indeed it is, when your ladyship makes it up,' said Rosy; while Hyacinth wondered at this strange phenomenon of a peer's daughter (for he knew she must be that) performing the functions of a housemaid.

'I say, now, you haven't been doing that again to-day?' Muniment asked, punching the mattress of the invalid with a vigorous hand.

'Pray, who would, if I didn't?' Lady Aurora inquired. 'It only takes a minute, if one knows how.' Her manner was jocosely apologetic, and she seemed to plead guilty to having been absurd; in the dim light Hyacinth thought he saw her blush, as if she were much embarrassed. In spite of her blushing, her appearance and manner suggested to him a personage in a comedy. She sounded the letter r peculiarly.

'I can do it, beautifully. I often do it, when Mrs. Major doesn't come up,' Paul Muniment said, continuing