My mamma used to cry all the time at Alexandretta; but Hamdi!--" she broke into an adorable trill of a chuckle, "You would as soon see a goose going with boots and stockings, like the Puss in the shoes--the fairy tale--as Hamdi crying.

_Hou_!" Half an hour later, as we were driving homewards, she broke a rather long silence which she had evidently been employing in meditation.
"Seer Marcous." "Yes ?" She has a child's engaging way of rubbing herself up against one when she wants to be particularly ingratiating.
"It was so nice to dine with you on Saturday." "Really ?" "Oh, ye-es.

When are you going to let me dine with you again, to show me you have forgiven me ?" A hansom cab offers peculiar facilities for the aforesaid process of ingratiation.
"You shall dine with me this evening," said I, and Carlotta cooed with pleasure.
I perceive that she is gradually growing westernised.
July 8th.
In obedience to a peremptory note from Judith, I took Carlotta this afternoon to Tottenham Mansions.

I shook hands with my hostess, turned round and said "This, my dear Judith, is Carlotta." "I am very pleased to see you," said Judith.
"So am I," replied Carlotta, not to be outdone in politeness.
She sat bolt upright, most correctly, on the edge of a chair, and responded monosyllabically to Judith's questions.

Her demeanour could not have been more impeccable had she been trained in a French convent.
Just before we arrived, she had been laughing immoderately because I had ordered her to spit out a mass of horrible sweetmeat which she had found it impossible to masticate, and she had challenged me to extract it with my fingers.