So
you may give me your arm, sir, and listen to me, and drop an
occasional remark while I take breath,--your arm, sir!" And here the
small, ancient lady held out a small, imperious hand, while her
handsome young eyes smiled up into his.
"Madam, you honor me!"
"But I am only an old woman,--with a wig!"
"Age is always honorable, madam."
"Now that is very prettily said, indeed you improve, sir. Do you
know who I am?"
"No, madam; but I can guess."
"Ah, well,--you shall talk to me. Now, sir,--begin. Talk to me of
Cleone."
"Madam--I had rather not."
"Eh, sir,--you won't?"
"No, madam."
"Why, then, I will!" Here the ancient lady glanced up at Barnabas
with a malicious little smile. "Let me see, now--what were her words?
'Spy,' I think. Ah, yes--'a creeping spy,' 'a fool' and 'a coward.'
Really, I don't think I could have bettered that--even in my best
days,--especially the 'creeping spy.'"
"Madam," said Barnabas in frowning surprise, "you were listening?"
"At the back of the arbor," she nodded, "with my ear to the panelling,
--I am sometimes a little deaf, you see."
"You mean that you were--actually prying--?"
"And I enjoyed it all very much, especially your 'immaculate' speech,
which was very heroic, but perfectly ridiculous, of course.
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