Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 1.djvu/153

 that people such as he were now so sure of their game that they could afford to be magnanimous; or else it expressed a prevision of the doom which hung over her ladyship's head. Muniment asked if Hyacinth and Rosy had made friends, and the girl replied that Mr. Robinson had made himself very agreeable. 'Then you must tell me all about him after he goes, for you know I don't know him much myself,' said her brother.

'Oh yes, I'll tell you everything you know how I like describing.'

Hyacinth was laughing to himself at the young lady's account of his efforts to please her, the fact being that he had only listened to her own eager discourse, without opening his mouth; but Paul, whether or no he guessed the truth, said to him very pertinently, 'It's very wonderful: she can describe things she has never seen. And they are just like the reality.'

'There's nothing I've never seen,' Rosy rejoined. 'That's the advantage of my lying here in such a manner. I see everything in the world.'

'You don't seem to see your brother's meetings—his secret societies and clubs. You put that aside when I asked you.'

'Oh, you mustn't ask her that sort of thing,' said Paul, lowering at Hyacinth with a fierce frown—an expression which he perceived in a moment to be humorously assumed.

'What am I to do, then, since you won't tell me anything definite yourself?'

'It will be definite enough when you get hanged for it!' Rosy exclaimed, mockingly.

'Why do you want to poke your head into black holes?