‘The society of people speaking one’s own tongue, add that,’ she ventured to say.

’You know you are ten times more Spanish than English.  Moorish, if you like.’

’The slave of the gallant Christian Knight, converted, baptized, and blissful.  Oh, I know.  But now we are settled in England, I have a wish to study English society.’

’Disappointing, I assure you;—­dinners heavy, dancing boorish, intrigue a blind-man’s-buff.  We’ve been over it all before!’

‘We have.’

‘Admired, I dare say.  You won’t be understood.’

‘I like my countrymen.’

‘The women have good looks—­of the ungarnished kind.  The men are louts.’

‘They are brave.’

‘You’re to see their fencing.  You’ll own a little goes a long way.’

‘I think it will amuse me.’

‘So I thought when I gave the nod to Isabella your friend.’

‘You like her?’

‘You, too.’

‘One fancies she would make an encouraging second in a duel.’

‘I will remember . . . when I call you out.’

’Oh, my dear lord, you have dozens to choose from leave me my one if we are to enter the lists.’

’We are, it seems; unless you consent to take the run to Paris.  You are to say Tom or Rowsley.’

’The former, I can never feel at home in saying; Rowsley is Lady Charlotte’s name for you.’

The name of Lady Charlotte was an invitation to the conflict between them.  He passed it, and said ’Durandarte runs a mile on the mouth, and the Coriolanus of their newspapers helps a stage-player to make lantern jaws.  Neither of them comes well from the lips of my girl.  After seven years she should have hit on a nickname, of none of the Christian suit.  I am not “at home” either with “my lord.”  However, you send me off to Paris alone; and you’ll be alone and dull here in this London.  Incomprehensible to me why!’

‘We are both wondering?’ said Aminta.

’You ‘re handsomer than when I met you first—­by heaven you are!’

She flushed her dark brown-red late-sunset.  ’Brunes are exceptional in England.’

‘Thousands admiring you, of course!  I know, my love, I have a jewel.’

She asked him:  ‘What are jewels for?’ and he replied, ’To excite cupidity.’

’When they ‘re shut in a box?’

’Ware burglars!  But this one is not shut up.  She shuts herself up.  And up go her shoulders!  Decide to be out of it, and come to Paris for some life for a month.  No?  It’s positive?  When do you expect your little school friend?’

‘After Easter.  Aunt will be away.’

’Your little friend likes the country.  I’ll go to my house agents.  If there ’s a country house open on the upper Thames, you can have swimming, boating, botanizing . . .’

He saw her throat swallow.  But as he was offering agreeable things he chose to not understand how he was to be compassionate.