"Don't be long," said Rose, as Josephine glided away, and (taking the
precaution to wait till she was quite out of hearing), "I shall be so
dull, dear, till you come back."

"I shall not though," said Edouard.

"I am not so sure of that. Now then."

"Now then, what?"

"Begin."

"Begin what?"

"Amusing me." And she made herself look sullen and unamusable all over.

"I will try," said Riviere. "I'll tell you what they say of you: that
you are too young to love."

"So I am, much."

"No, no, no! I made a mistake. I mean too young to be loved."

"Oh, I am not too young for that, not a bit."

This point settled, she suggested that, if he could not amuse her, he
had better do THE NEXT BEST THING, and that was, talk sense.

"I think I had better not talk at all," said he, "for I am no match