There, I am told, it is quite a common thing for a man to be twenty miles from his next-door neighbour, and yet be on constant visiting terms." "Dear me!" said the uncle.
"You don't know India, I suppose, sir ?" inquired Charlie.
"No; that is--" "He's only read about it in books," again put in the aunt; "and so, my love, you'd better say at once you don't know anything about it." "Well," said Charlie, "it depends a good deal on the books.

Some books of travel are so vivid one almost seems to be in the country they describe.
"Er--what did you say, Reader ?" Reader was quick enough to take this broad hint, and keep up the talk.
"To my mind, the most interesting books are those which describe, not so much places, as people and their manners.

There are a great many books of this kind about India.

One I lately read was specially interesting." And then, to Jim's unbounded delight and gratitude, George began calmly to give a review a quarter of an hour long of the work in question for the benefit of the two old people, who, as they listened, became more and more impressed with the importance of their nephew's friend, and of the impossibility of obtruding their special grievance on the party at the present time.

Indeed, the aunt had almost forgotten the speech with which she had come prepared, in her pleasure at hearing the young men talk, and she even joined in the conversation in a manner which showed how she enjoyed it.