"DO you, dear," she appealed, "want Nanda back from Mr.Longdon ?" Edward plainly could be trusted to feel in his quiet way that the oracle must be a match for the priestess.

"'Want' her, Jane?
We wouldn't TAKE her." And as if knowing quite what he was about he looked at his wife only after he had spoken.
IV His reply had complete success, to which there could scarce have afterwards been a positive denial that some sound of amusement even from Mr.Longdon himself had in its degree contributed.

Certain it was that Mrs.Brook found, as she exclaimed that her husband was always so awfully civil, just the right note of resigned understanding; whereupon he for a minute presented to them blankly enough his fine dead face.
"'Civil' is just what I was afraid I wasn't.

I mean, you know," he continued to Mr.Longdon, "that you really mustn't look to us to let you off--!" "From a week or a day"-- Mr.Longdon took him up--"of the time to which you consider I've pledged myself?
My dear sir, please don't imagine it's for ME the Duchess appeals." "It's from your wife, you delicious dull man," that lady elucidated.

"If you wished to be stiff with our friend here you've really been so with HER; which comes, no doubt, from the absence between you of proper preconcerted action.