I have not a great deal to say.

That is, I have always a great deal to say about everything, but I shall at present confine myself to a very little." "You will be wise," said Nino, scornfully, "and you would be wiser if you confined yourself to nothing at all." "Patience, Signor Cardegna," protested Benoni.

"You will readily conceive that I am a little out of breath with the stairs, for I am a very old man." "In that case," I said, from the other side of the room, "I may as well occupy your breathing time by telling you that any remarks you are likely to make to me have been forestalled by the Graf von Lira, who has been with me this morning." Benoni smiled, but both Hedwig and Nino looked at me in surprise.
"I only wished to say," returned Benoni, "that I consider you in the light of an interesting phenomenon.

Nay, Signor Cardegna, do not look so fierce.

I am an old man--" "An old devil," said Nino hotly.
"An old fool," said I.
"An old reprobate," said Hedwig, from her corner, in deepest indignation.
"Precisely," returned Benoni, smilingly.