"She can't be disagreeable; she is too gentle, too soft."
"Do you mean too silly?"
"I don't know that I call her silly. She is not very wise; but she has
no pretensions--absolutely none--so that one is not struck with anything
incongruous."
"What a terrible description! I suppose one ought to have a few
pretensions."
"You see one comes off more easily without them," said Miss Vivian.
"Do you call that coming off easily?"
She looked at him a moment gravely.
"I am very fond of Blanche," she said.
"Captain Lovelock is rather fond of her," Bernard went on.
The girl assented.
"He is completely fascinated--he is very much in love with her."
"And do they mean to make an international match?"
"I hope not; my mother and I are greatly troubled."
"Is n't he a good fellow?"
"He is a good fellow; but he is a mere trifler. He has n't a penny, I
believe, and he has very expensive habits. He gambles a great deal. We
don't know what to do."
"You should send for the young lady's mother."
"We have written to her pressingly. She answers that Blanche can take
care of herself, and that she must stay at Marienbad to finish her cure.
She has just begun a new one."
"Ah well," said Bernard, "doubtless Blanche can take care of herself.
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