to sit down. I advise you to follow my example." Three chairs in a row
invited them to be seated.

Leaning back, Richard surveyed the waves.

"That's a very pretty blue," he said. "But there's a little too much of
it. Variety is essential to a view. Thus, if you have hills you ought
to have a river; if a river, hills. The best view in the world in my
opinion is that from Boars Hill on a fine day--it must be a fine day,
mark you--A rug?--Oh, thank you, my dear . . . in that case you have
also the advantage of associations--the Past."

"D'you want to talk, Dick, or shall I read aloud?"

Clarissa had fetched a book with the rugs.

"_Persuasion_," announced Richard, examining the volume.

"That's for Miss Vinrace," said Clarissa. "She can't bear our beloved
Jane."

"That--if I may say so--is because you have not read her," said Richard.
"She is incomparably the greatest female writer we possess."

"She is the greatest," he continued, "and for this reason: she does not
attempt to write like a man. Every other woman does; on that account, I
don't read 'em."

"Produce your instances, Miss Vinrace," he went on, joining his
finger-tips. "I'm ready to be converted."