human
What sort of a person, then, do I look like?
gpt
I was alluding merely to the time you named. As it happened, my aunt had mentioned to me by chance your breakfast hours.
human
That was not all, I think.
gpt
You are very good to be interested.
human
I am not good; only curious. Pray tell me.
gpt
I have so little imagination, Mrs. Winthrop, that I cannot invent the proper charming interpretation as I ought. As to bald truth, of course you cannot expect me to present you with that during a first visit of ceremony.
human
The first visit will, I hope, be a long one; you must come and stay with us. As to ceremony, if this is your idea of it--
gpt
said Ford, laughing.
human
On the whole, I had better make no attempts. The owl, in his own character, is esteemed an honest bird; but let him not try to be a nightingale.
gpt
Come as owl, nightingale, or what you please, so long as you come. When you do, I shall ask you again what you meant.
human
If you are going to hold it over me, perhaps I had better tell you now.
gpt
Much better.
human
I only meant, then, that Mrs. Winthrop did not strike me as at all the sort of person who would allow anything prosaic to interfere with her poetical, heartfelt enthusiasms.
gpt
You are delightful. You have such a heavy apparatus for fibbing that it becomes fairly stately. You do not believe I have any enthusiasms at all,
human
I will believe whatever you please,
gpt
Very well. Believe what I tell you.
human
You include only what you tell in words?
gpt
Plainly, you are not troubled by timidity,
human
On the contrary, it is excess of timidity. It makes me desperate and crude.
gpt
Does he amuse you? said Sylvia, in a low tone, as Cousin Walpole in his turn walked onward with the new-comer.
human
I heard you laughing.
gpt
Yes; but he is not at all what you said. He is so shy and ill at ease that it is almost painful.
human
Dear me! said the aunt, with concern.
gpt
The best thing, then, will be for him to come and stay with us. You have so much company that it will be good for him; his shyness will wear off.
human
I have invited him, but I doubt his coming,
gpt
Not so close, Gibbon,
human
You call your dog Gibbon?
gpt
Yes; he came from Lausanne, where Gibbon lived; and I think he looks just like him. But pray put on your hat, Mr. Ford. A man in the open air, deprived of his hat, is always a wretched object, and always takes cold.
human
I may be wretched, but I do not take cold,
gpt
John _does_ look very strong,
human
O fortunate youth--if he but knew his good-fortune! said Cousin Walpole.
gpt
From the Latin, sir; I do not quote the original tongue in the presence of ladies, which would seem pedantic. You do look strong indeed, and I congratulate you. I myself have never been an athlete; but I admire, and with impartiality, the muscles of the gladiator.
human
Surely, Cousin Walpole, there is nothing in common between John and a gladiator!
gpt
Your pardon, Cousin Sylvia. I was speaking generally. My conversation, sir, said the bachelor, turning to Ford,
human
No one likes personalities, I suppose,
gpt
On the contrary, I am devoted to them,
human
Oh no, Katharine; you malign yourself, said Sylvia.
gpt
You must not believe all she says, John.
human
Mr. Ford has just promised to do that very thing,
gpt
Dear me! said Sylvia. Her tone of dismay was so sincere that they all laughed.
human
You know, dear, you have so much imagination,
gpt
Mr. Ford has not, replied the younger lady;