I forgot to say that when I chanced to be speaking of doughnuts, that 'unconquer'd Scot' asked me if a doughnut resembled a peanut?
Can you conceive such ignorance ?" "I think you were not only aggressively American, but painfully provincial," said Salemina, with some warmth.

"Why in the world should you drag doughnuts into a dinner-table conversation in Edinburgh?
Why not select topics of universal interest ?" "Like the Currie Brig or the shade of Montrose," I murmured slyly.
"To one who has ever eaten a doughnut, the subject is of transcendent interest; and as for one who has not--well, he should be made to feel his limitations," replied Francesca, with a yawn.

"Come, let us forget our troubles in sleep; it is after midnight." About half an hour later she came to my bedside, her dark hair hanging over her white gown, her eyes still bright.
"Penelope," she said softly, "I did not dare tell Salemina, and I should not confess it to you save that I am afraid Lady Baird will complain of me; but I was dreadfully rude to the Reverend Ronald! I couldn't help it; he roused my worst passions.

It all began with his saying he thought international marriages presented even more difficulties to the imagination than the other kind.

I hadn't said anything about marriages nor thought anything about marriages of any sort, but I told him INSTANTLY I considered that every international marriage involved two national suicides.