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Queechy, Volume II by Elizabeth Wetherell
page 85 of 645 (13%)
Whether Mr. Carleton had seen or had not seen, or whether even
he had his faculty of hearing in present exercise, a glance at
his face was incompetent to discover.

"I never should have imagined," said Constance, eyeing him
keenly, "that Mr. Carleton's errand to this country was one of
business, and not of romance. I believe it's a humbug!"

For an instant this was answered by one of those looks of
absolute composure, in every muscle and feature, which put an
effectual bar to all further attempts from without, or
revelations from within — a look Fleda remembered well, and
felt even in her corner. But it presently relaxed, and he said
with his usual manner,

"You cannot understand, then, Miss Constance, that there
should be any romance about business?"

"I cannot understand," said Mrs. Evelyn, "why romance should
not come after business. Mr. Carleton, Sir, you have seen
American scenery this summer; isn't American beauty worth
staying a little while longer for?"

"My dear," said Mr. Evelyn, "Mr. Carleton is too much of a
philosopher to care about beauty — every man of sense is."

"I am sure he is not," said Mrs. Evelyn, smoothly. "Mr.
Carleton, you are an admirer of beauty, are you not, Sir ?"

"I hope so, Mrs. Evelyn," he said smiling; "but perhaps, I
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