human
They have all suddenly grown up! Mrs. Richie said, disconsolately. She had left the
gpt
I will walk home with you,
human
Aren't you going to wait for Elizabeth?
gpt
David will bring her home.
human
He'll be only too glad of the chance; how pretty she was to-night! You must have been very proud of her.
gpt
Not in the least. Beauty isn't a thing to be proud of. Quite the contrary.
human
You are hopeless, Mr. Ferguson! What is a girl for, if not to be sweet and pretty and charming? And Elizabeth is all three.
gpt
I would rather have her good.
human
But prettiness doesn't interfere with goodness! And Elizabeth is a dear, good child.
gpt
I hope she is,
human
You _know_ she is,
gpt
Well, she has her good points,
human
But they have all grown up, Mrs. Richie said.
gpt
Mr. Ferguson, David wants to smoke! What shall I do?
human
Good heavens! hasn't he smoked by this time? said Robert Ferguson, horrified.
gpt
You'll ruin that boy yet!
human
Oh, when he was a little boy, there was one awful day, when-- Mrs. Richie shuddered at the remembrance;
gpt
He's seventeen, Mr. Ferguson said, severely.
human
I should think you might cut the apron-strings by this time.
gpt
You seem very anxious about apron-strings for David, she retorted with some spirit.
human
I notice you never show any anxiety about Blair.
gpt
I should say not! He's been brought up by a man--practically. Then he added with some generosity,
human
But I'm not sure that an apron-string or two might not have been a good thing for Blair.
gpt
My tall David is very nice, even if he does want to smoke. But I've lost my boy.
human
He'll be a boy, Robert Ferguson said,
gpt
he paused, and laughed:
human
I was twenty, just out of college, when I made an ass of myself over a girl who was as vain as a peacock. Well, she was beautiful; I admit that.
gpt
You were very young,