The friend looked at the couple an smiled.  “It is ridiculous, certainly,” he remarked.  “Why havn’t they sense enough to keep these little love-passages for private occasions?”

“Clara, with all her silliness used to be a right pleasant companion,” said Mears.  “But since this love affair between her and Fisher, she has become intolerably dull and uninteresting.  She doesn’t care a fig for anybody but him, and really appears to think it a task to be even polite to an old acquaintance.  I don’t think she has cause to be quite so elated with her conquest as this comes to; nor to feel that, in possessing the love of a man like Fisher, she is independent of the world, and may show off the indifference she feels to every one.  Fisher is clever enough, but he is neither a Socrates nor a saint.”

“He will suit her very well, I imagine.”

“Yes; they will make a passable Darby and Joan, no doubt.  Still, it always vexes me to see people, who pretend to any sense, acting in this way.”

“I think it is more her fault than his.”

“So do I. She has shown a disposition to bill and coo from the first.  At Mangum’s party, last week, she made me sick.  I tried to get her hand for a dance, but no.  Close to the side of Fisher she adhered, like a fixture, and could hardly force her lips into a smile for any one else.  The gipsy!  I’d punish her for all this, if I could just hit upon a good plan for doing it.”

“Let me see,” remarked the friend, dropping his head into a thoughtful position, “can’t we devise a scheme for worrying her a little?  She is certainly a fair subject.  It would be fine sport.”

“Yes, it would.”

“She evidently thinks Fisher perfection.”

“Oh, yes!  There never was such a man before!  She actually said to Caroline Lee, who was trying to jest with her a little, that Fisher was one of the most pure-minded, honourable young men living.”

“Oh, dear.”

“It is a fact.”

“Was she serious?”

“Yes, indeed!  Serious as the grave.  Caroline was laughing to me about it.  Nearly every one notices the silliness of her conduct, and the weakness she displays in forever talking about and praising him.”

“I would like to run him down a little when she could overhear me, just for the fun of the thing.”

“So would I. Capital!  That will do, exactly.  We must watch an opportunity, and if we can get within earshot of her, any time that she is by herself, we must abuse Fisher right and left, without appearing to notice that she is listening to what we say, or, indeed, anywhere near us.”

“Right!  That’s the very thing.  It will be capital fun.”

Thus, the thoughtless young men, meddling themselves in a matter that did not concern them, determined upon a very questionable piece of folly.  All that they said of the lovers was exaggeration.  It was true that they did show rather more preference for each other in company than just accorded with good taste; but this, while it provoked a smile from the many, irritated only the few.