and indeed to tell 
you the truth, at the risk of making you atrociously con- 
ceited, I must say 1 ' dortt  at it. It is a shockingly 
fast , I suppose, but there is something in the 
timbre of a man's voice that quite invigorates me ; I sup- 
pose it is always having been so much used to men's soci- 
ety. I get on with them so much better than with women ; 
/understand them, and they understand we." 

" Have you had any talk with her ? " I ask, rising pre- 
cipitately, and following him to the embrasure of the win- 
dow, perfectly heedless of the fact that my sister is com- 



WHAT JEMIMA SAYS. 295 

fortably mounted on her.  hobby self, and is cantering 
complacently away on him. " Did she say any  to 
you?" 

" Listen ! " he says, putting a hand on each of my shoul- 
ders, quite unconscious of the familiarity of the action 
and indeed they might be posts for all he knows about 
them and looking me rudely and triumphantly in the face. 
" She has been saying this to me , ' I will marry you as 
soon as you like ! ' ' 

" WHAT !!!!!!" Six marks of  but