'Of course you don't. You and Tina think yourselves the most heavenly-minded when you can accuse yourselves of anything utterly ridiculous.'
'It was what she heard from Robin and Angel.'
'The marplots of the family--little minxes!' said Edgar, with a bitterness she was sorry to have provoked. 'No,' he added, 'not marplots in this case. I see it all as plain as a pikestaff! Felix having shown his usual refreshing innocence by leaving Alda in this predicament, she had to get out of it as best she could; so she trumps up this charge between Robin's prudery and Angel's chatter; nor would I have blamed her a bit if she had only flourished it in his eyes; but to poison Marilda with it, and annihilate you--I can't forgive that!'
'If she gets up a little delusion--a slight screen to the Mynheer--she ought to keep it to herself.'
'I shall try to write it all properly to her when I get home.'
'No; but I can't stay after all this--to be looked on in this way.'
'I shall expose her no more than I have done fifty times before. Don't be afraid. We understand one another--Polly, Alda, and I.'
'Don't defend me! I had so much rather go back.'
'Of course; but you need not be a little goose. You did not come here for pleasure, but business. And is this great genius to be stifled because Alda talks a little unjustifiable nonsense?'
'Do you think Felix and Wilmet would tell me to stay?'
'Wilmet certainly would. Felix might be tempted to take his baby home to rock; but even he has sense enough to tell you that the only way to deal with such things is to brazen them out.'
'Then you must get some. Seriously, Cherry, it would be very silly to go flying home, throwing up all your opportunities, and the very thing to give some _vraisemblance_ to Alda's accusation. If I had only been here yesterday, I'd have choked it in the throat of her, and hindered you from caring a straw; but I didn't want to meet Travis in his exies.'
'I wish you would really tell me about him--poor dear Fernan!'
'Take care! That looks suspicious. Well, poor fellow! the Mexican is strong in him. _Grattez lui_ ever so slightly. Well for Mynheer that he is not out with him on a prairie, with a revolver! But, whereas Audley and Felix caught him in time to make a spoon out of a bowie-knife, I don't expect much to happen, beyond my distraction from his acting caged panther in my room till two o'clock that night!'