Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/62

 'Very likely, of course; and so she does me.'

'May I inquire what you are wretched about?' Muniment went on.

'About nothing at all. That's the worst of it. But I am much happier now than I have ever been.'

'Is that also about nothing?'

'No, about a sort of change that has taken place in my life. I have been able to do some little things.'

'For the poor, I suppose you mean. Do you refer to the presents you have made to Rosy?' the young man inquired.

'The presents?' The Princess appeared not to remember. 'Oh, those are trifles. It isn't anything one has been able to give; it's some talks one has had, some convictions one has arrived at.'

'Convictions are a source of very innocent pleasure,' said the young man, smiling at his interlocutress with his bold, pleasant eyes, which seemed to project their glance further than any she had seen.

'Having them is nothing. It's the acting on them,' the Princess replied.

'Yes; that doubtless, too, is good.' He continued to look at her peacefully, as if he liked to consider that this might be what she had asked him to come for. He said nothing more, and she went on:

'It's far better, of course, when one is a man.'

'I don't know. Women do pretty well what they like. My sister and you have managed, between you, to bring me to this.'

'It's more your sister, I suspect, than I. But why, after all, should you have disliked so much to come?'