human
Oh, you're the little girl,
gpt
Yes, I _are_ the little girl,
human
Where is my place? she said.
gpt
Is it laid for me? I am the visitor.
human
Sit down, he said;
gpt
What's a boss?
human
You must be a silly not to know what a boss is.
gpt
I aren't no more silly than you are, said Sibyl.
human
May I have some bread and butter and jam? I'll ask you some things about town, and perhaps you can't answer me. What's a--what's a--oh, I'll think of something real slangy presently; but please don't talk to me too much while I'm eating, or I'll spill jam on my money frock.
gpt
You are a very queer little girl,
human
What a silly you are, said Gus.
gpt
What did you put on that thing for? We don't want frilled and laced-up frocks, we want frocks that girls can wear to climb trees in, and----
human
Climb trees! Oh, cried Sibyl,
gpt
You are very queer, she said.
human
I don't know whether our governess will like our being with you. You seem to use strange words. We never get into scrapes--we are quite ladylike and good, but we don't wear grand frocks either. Can't you take that thing off?
gpt
I wish I could. I hate it myself.
human
Well, ask your servant to change it.
gpt
But my nurse hasn't brought a single shabby frock with me.
human
Are all your frocks as grand as that?
gpt
Some of 'em grander.
human
We might lend her one of our own brown holland frocks,
gpt
Oh, do! said Sibyl;
human
We are going to do some climbing this afternoon, so you may as well put it on,
gpt
It's a great comfort coming down to this place, she said finally,
human
Why?
gpt
It's mostly on account of my most perfect of fathers.
human
But isn't Philip Ogilvie your father?
gpt
Mr. Ogilvie,
human
Oh, fudge! I heard father call him Philip Ogilvie. He's not perfect.
gpt
Father didn't know I was there; he was talking to another man. I think the man's name was Halkett. I'm always great at remembering names, and I heard him say 'Philip Ogilvie will do what we want. When it comes to the point he's not too scrupulous.' Yes, scrupulous was the word, and I ran away and looked it out in the dictionary, and it means--oh, you needn't stare at me as if your eyes were starting out of your head--it means a person who hesitates from fear of acting wrongly. Now, as your father isn't scrupulous, that means that he doesn't hesitate to act wrong.
human
What have you done that for, you little beggar?
gpt
To teach you not to tell lies, answered Sibyl. She turned, went up the room, and stood by the window. Her heart was bursting, and tears were scorching her eyeballs.
human
But I won't shed them, thought the child,