"
"There was nothing else, then?"
"Indeed there was. There was a widow with two very nice daughters,
living, not exactly in the same house, but on the same grounds."
"Oh, indeed. That makes such a difference; doesn't it? You are not a
man to bear much privation on the score of partridges, nor a great
deal, I imagine, for friendship. But when you talk of pretty girls--"
"It makes a difference, doesn't it?"
"A very great difference. I think I have heard of that Mrs Dale
before. And so her girls are nice?"
"Very nice indeed."
"Play croquet, I suppose, and eat syllabub on the lawn? But, really,
didn't you get very tired of it?"
"Oh dear, no. I was happy as the day was long."
"Going about with a crook, I suppose?"
"Not exactly a live crook; but doing all that kind of thing. I
learned a great deal about pigs."
"Under the guidance of Miss Dale?"
"Yes; under the guidance of Miss Dale."
"I'm sure one is very much obliged to you for tearing yourself away
from such charms, and coming to such unromantic people as we are.
But I fancy men always do that sort of thing once or twice in their
lives,--and then they talk of their souvenirs.
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