I longed to have the chance of bragging to my wife; but this chance
did not come till the concert was quite over, after I rejoined her
with my companion, and she could take leave of them all without
seeming to abandon them. Then I judged it best to let her have the
word; for I knew by the way she ran her hand through my arm, and
began pushing me along out of earshot, that she was full of it.

"Well, Basil, I think that is the sweetest and simplest and kindest
creature in the world, and I'm perfectly in love with her."

I did not believe somehow that she meant the girl, but I thought it
best merely to suggest, "There are two."

"You know very well which I mean, and I would do anything I could
for her. She's got a difficult problem before her, and I pity her.
The girl's very well, and she IS a beauty; and I suppose she HAS
been having a dull time, and of course you couldn't please Mrs.
Deering half so well as by doing something for her friend. I
suppose you're feeling very proud that they're just what you
divined."

"Not at all; I'm so used to divining people. How did you know I
knew it?"

"I saw you talking to him, and I knew you were pumping him."

"Pumping? He asked nothing better than to flow. He would put to