"At least, I have." "Well," said Gertrude, quick to resent a fancied allusion to her private discontent, "so have I." "I am glad of that--more so than I can convey by words." "Is it any business of yours ?" she said, following the disagreeable vein he had unconsciously struck upon, and suspecting pity in his efforts to be sympathetic.
"I wish I dared hope so.

The happiness of my visit has been due to you entirely." "Indeed," said Gertrude, wincing as all the hard things Trefusis had told her of herself came into her mind at the heels of Erskine's unfortunate allusion to her power of enjoying herself.
"I hope I am not paining you," he said earnestly.
"I don't know what you are talking about," she said, standing erect with sudden impatience.

"You seem to think that it is very easy to pain me." "No," he said timidly, puzzled by the effect he had produced.

"I fear you misunderstand me.

I am very awkward.