"Very good: you must know, then, that this very day and in my presence
he---- -her."

"If that displeased you, you must be jealous."

"Possibly, but the fact is that I was humbled by a circumstance I dare
not tell you."

"I think you are laughing at me with your 'dare not tell you.'"

"God forbid, mademoiselle! I will confess, then, that I was humbled
because Madame Lambertini made me see that my friend was taller than
myself by two inches."

"Then she imposed on you, for you are taller than your friend."

"I am not speaking of that kind of tallness, but another; you know what I
mean, and there my friend is really monstrous."

"Monstrous! then what have you to be sorry about? Isn't it better not to
be monstrous?"

"Certainly; but in the article we are discussing, some women, unlike you,
prefer monstrosity."

"I think that's absurd of them, or rather mad; or perhaps, I have not
sufficiently clear ideas on the subject to imagine what size it would be
to be called monstrous; and I think it is odd that such a thing should
humble you."