'We,' said MacWhirter, 'are humble amateurs, and to us you are more than
excellent.' 'Good old Monsieur Fannière, how he would scold me! He said I would not
take my talent out of the napkin. He would quote me the New Testament. I
always think Scripture false in French, do not you?' 'Er--my acquaintance with modern languages is not extensive, I regret to
say.' 'No? I was brought up at a convent school near Rouen.' 'Ah--that would be very interesting.' 'Yes, but I was there six years, and the interest wears off everything.' 'Alas!' assented MacWhirter, smiling.
'Those times were very different from these,' said Beatrice.
'I should think so,' said MacWhirter, waxing grave and sympathetic.