"Then why the deuce does he--oh, poor dear man!--behave as if he were ?" She took a moment to meet it.

"How do you know how he behaves ?" "Well, my own love, we see how Charlotte does!" Again, at this, she faltered; but again she rose.

"Ah, isn't my whole point that he's charming to her ?" "Doesn't it depend a bit on what she regards as charming ?" She faced the question as if it were flippant, then with a headshake of dignity she brushed it away.

"It's Mr.Verver who's really young--it's Charlotte who's really old.

And what I was saying," she added, "isn't affected!" "You were saying"-- he did her the justice--"that they're all guileless." "That they were.