human
What business has Nina to know anything? I can't think how she is clever enough to find out, she has not seen much of Oliver. And why should she trouble herself about it?
gpt
Don't you know? said Bice, in a proud and bitter voice,
human
Of Giovanni? Oh, nonsense! Why--he is a boy, he is nobody but just-- Giovanni! She can't be quite so silly. Bice, I do think you must be mistaken; besides, why should she be afraid?
gpt
You don't understand; you don't know anything about the world, you are only a girl. Why should she be afraid?--because we are poor, and Nina is a contessa living in a palace, and so she has found out that there is nothing in all the world so good as money; and as she is fond of Giovanni, she wants him to have a great _dola_ with his wife. That is all, if you want to know.
human
Then she is a silly, said Kitty, unmoved by this outburst.
gpt
As if Giovanni were good enough for you!--or as if money were everything!
human
Perhaps it is more than we think, said Bice, still bitterly;
gpt
It would give us some new dresses, to be sure, Kitty said, with a general readiness to assent to her sister's ideas,
human
It would do more than that, Bice said abruptly. And then her voice softened, the beautiful eyes grew wistful; she put her hands on the girl's shoulders, and looked into her face.
gpt
Oh, Kitty, she said,
human
But, she said hesitatingly,
gpt
Oliver will do that. He has promised, hasn't he?
human
Yes,
gpt
Then it's all right. Oliver can do anything.
human
Only if he is to do this, I must marry him.
gpt
Yes, I know. But you like him, don't you? You made up your mind the last time he was here, and there has been nothing to make you change. And you always wanted to live in England. I don't think Oliver would be at all a bad sort of person to marry.
human
I have never said I would marry him,
gpt
No, said Kitty doubtfully,
human
What has Clive done? said Bice, looking at her with troubled eyes.
gpt
We know very little about it all. Oliver always says we cannot understand, and that it is better for us that he should not attempt to explain; but I think it would be better if he _did_ explain; for now it is like some dreadful dark shadow of disgrace hanging over us, never off one's mind day and night.
human
Is it so bad for you, dear? she said sadly.
gpt
I have not troubled myself much about it since Oliver said he would arrange. Surely he knows best, and he is the only person to do anything.
human
Why shouldn't Mr Ibbetson help us? said Bice in a low voice. Her sister cried out in astonishment, but the girl persisted.
gpt
There are kind people in the world, she said, as her eyes brightened.
human
If you or I saw anyone in trouble we should do what we could; and he is a man, he knows about England and this world into which poor Clive has tumbled--he might advise us.
gpt
Not better than Oliver! exclaimed Kitty, amazed.
human
Oh, I'm tired of Oliver, cried Bice with petulant impatience. Her heart was rising up in revolt against its fate till it burned within her. She was angry with Clive, with Oliver, with Kitty, who could only praise him; most of all with herself, the self which had grown all of a sudden discontented, frightened, and indignant. How was it that the change had come, if it was a change and not rather an awakening? How was it that life had in a few hours blossomed into a hundred possibilities? She had thought of Oliver Trent before with a sort of dull satisfaction, as a means of helping Clive and of averting sorrow from those she loved; and as he had skilfully managed to make himself necessary to her, her feelings towards him were passive. But this calm was at an end. All that evening she had been comparing, watching, reflecting; a light seemed suddenly to have been turned upon him; she saw things written in his features which she had never discovered before--some, very likely, which were not there at all.
gpt
His eyes are close together, and there is a broad piece of face beyond them--that is not good, I know, said the critic,
human
And all the time, joined with this revolt, some strong new hope seemed to have leapt into her heart, uncalled for and inexplicable.
gpt
There are kind people in the world,