But, oh dear, I cannot understand." "Do leave off trying to understand, Cheri," said Jeanne, "and let us amuse ourselves.

I always love _you_, Cheri, whatever I am, don't I ?" She turned towards him brightly, with such a merry smile on her face that Hugh could not help smiling too.
"Do let us go on quickly," she said; "I do so want to see where this stair goes to." "Let me go first.

I'm a boy, you know, and it's right I should go first in case of meeting anything that might frighten you," said Hugh.
So he stepped up in front of Jeanne, and they slowly made their way.
It was impossible to go fast.

Never was there such a twisty little stair.

Here and there, too, it got darker, so that they could only just find their way, step by step.