human
A most beautiful party, mother, he exclaimed, wrapping himself up in her eiderdown, for his pyjamas were old, and worn, and chilly.
gpt
And the wretch looked lovelier than ever.
human
I hope you aren't going to backslide, Oliver,
gpt
Oh, dear no, but I don't mind owning to you, mother, that if it wasn't for Dorothy, I _might_ be in danger! She used to be a fairy princess, but now she's a princess of ideal royalty. Such a beautiful gown--worth, I'm sure, twenty-five guineas, and a little string of lovely pearls--_his_ gift, and the big ruby. I shall never, he added thoughtfully,
human
Oh, go on, she said,
gpt
Bacchanal à la Mordkin, whistling the music through his teeth.
human
Speak not, oh aged one, he then cried, striking an attitude,
gpt
I'm really sorry for you, Oliver, she said.
human
You're so silly, and as to your Dorothy Perkins, I believe her name's Harris.
gpt
Well, perhaps it is. After all, there's very little difference between Perkins and Harris. And it's done the trick. Oh, mother, you should have seen me! I was an absolute gem of half-shamefaced love-sickness.
human
I don't see why you had to tell all that rubbish to Jenny and me,
gpt
But of course I had to! Jenny's seeing that soft idiot of a Paul every day, and would be sure to give it away. He chuckled.
human
I saw her whispering it as a great secret to the old lady and she was so surprised she never ate a bit of dinner--it was a good dinner, too.
gpt
You're a rascal, his mother declared comfortably,
human
Ah no, mother. All's fair in love and war. I haven't yet made up my mind which of the two this is, but it's one. She's a pig-headed little brute, my lovely love is, and as obstinate as a mule. She's made up her mind to marry this man and be rich and comfortable, and I don't think anything on earth could have stopped her, except---- he grinned wickedly,
gpt
he mimicked,
human
Your tea's in your room, sir,
gpt
Yes, I know. You told us that. What's the matter with her? Heart disease, I suppose.
human
Not at all. Stomach. She never digests anything except--what do you call it--koumiss. Yes, she lives on koumiss.
gpt
When are you going away, Oliver?
human
Either to-night or to-morrow. And oh, I forgot, don't say anything to them--the 'Happy House' people, I mean--about me and my doings.
gpt
Why, don't they know about Sparks?
human
Nope. They don't know anything about what has been happening lately. They think I'm still the penniless reporter. That's very important, too. It's the penniless reporter Miss Minx has got to propose to, _not_ the latest and favourite discovery of the Great Chief.
gpt
I don't think that's quite fair, his mother said.
human
After all, it's a great deal to expect any girl to marry a young man who is penniless as well as a nobody.
gpt
But I'm not a nobody, and I'm going to be a very big somebody, and she ought to _know_ that I shall be a success. Did the girl think, he added angrily, waving his arm,