"I've been talking about my own affairs all the time." "Not at all.

I'm interested.

This Signor Baroni who is training your voice--he is the finest teacher in the world.

You must have a very beautiful voice for him to have accepted you as a pupil." There was a hint of surprise in his tones.
"Oh, no," she hastened to assure him modestly.

"I expect it was more that I had the luck to catch him in a good mood that afternoon." "And his moods vary considerably, don't they ?" he said, smiling as though at some personal recollection.
"Oh, do you know him ?" asked Diana eagerly.
In an instant his face became a blank mask; it was as though a shutter had descended, blotting out all its vivacious interest.
"I have met him," he responded briefly.