How old are you ?" "What ?" said Merryon.
"Not--quite--forty," she said again, with extreme distinctness.

"I'm small for my age, I know.

But I shall never grow any more now.

How old did you say you were ?" Merryon's eyes regarded her piercingly.

"I should like the truth," he said, in his short, grim way.
She made a grimace that turned into an impish smile.