"I never thought of you in that light." There was a sly smile about her lips as she spoke, and there was the ghost of a smile on the Disagreeable Man's face.
"Why do you talk with that horrid Swede ?" he said suddenly.

"He is a wretched low foreigner.

Have you heard some of his views ?" "Some of them," answered Bernardine cheerfully.

"One of his views is really amusing: that it is very rude of you to read the newspaper during meal-time; and he asks if it is an English custom.

I tell him it depends entirely on the Englishman, and the Englishman's neighbour!" So she too had her raps at him, but always in the kindest way.
He had a curious effect on her.