Page:What Maisie Knew (Chicago & New York, Herbert S. Stone & Co., 1897).djvu/182

168 from Mrs. Beale. "I 'm good and I 'm clever. What more do you want? For you, I 'll spare your blushes and not be personal—I 'll simply say that you 're as handsome as you can stick together."

"You 're both very lovely; you can't get out of it!"—Maisie felt the need of carrying her point. "And it 's beautiful to see you together."

Sir Claude had taken his hat and stick; he stood looking at her a moment. "You 're a comfort in trouble! But I must go home and pack."

"And when will you come back?—tomorrow, tomorrow?"

"You see what we 're in for!" he said to Mrs. Beale.

"Well, I can bear it," she replied, "if you can."

Their companion gazed from one of them to the other, thinking that though she had been happy indeed between Sir Claude and Mrs. Wix, she should evidently be happier still between Sir Claude and Mrs. Beale. But it was like being perched on a prancing horse, and she made a movement to hold on to something. "Then, you know, sha'n't I bid good-bye to Mrs. Wix?"