The last word she mumbled at me through her old false teeth was that she hoped I'd come over and see her every Tuesday that I had at my command (I'm not going to have _many_), because I reminded her of some granddaughter who was now in heaven, or at the Antipodes--it's all the same." She pauses to catch a fly--dexterously, and with amazing swiftness, in the palm of her hand--that has been buzzing aimlessly against the window-pane.

Having looked at it between her fingers, she flings it into the warm air outside.
"So you see," continues she triumphantly, "it's a good thing to startle people.

They fall in love with you at once." Here, as if some gay little thought has occurred to her, she lowers her head and looks at her dainty finger-nails, then up at Rylton from under half-closed lids.
"What a good thing I didn't try to startle _you!"_ says she.

_"You_ might have fallen in love with me, too." She waits for a second as it were, just time enough to let her see the nervous movement of his brows, and then--she laughs.
"I've escaped that bore," says she, nodding her head.

She throws herself into a big chair.