"It is, on the whole," I observed, "complimentary."
"No, really," said Dolly. "Yet you promised to be sincere."
"You would not have had me disagreeable?" I asked.
"That's a different thing," said Dolly. "Read it, please."
"Lady Mickleham," I read, "is usually accounted a person of
considerable attractions. She is widely popular, and more than
one woman has been known to like her."
"I don't quite understand that," interrupted Dolly.
"It is surely simple," said I; and I read on without delay. "She
is kind even to her husband, and takes the utmost pains to
conceal from her mother-in-law anything calculated to distress
that lady."
"I suppose you mean that to be nice?" said Dolly.
"Of course," I answered; and I proceeded: "She never gives pain
to any one, except with the object of giving pleasure to somebody
else, and her kindness is no less widely diffused than it is
hearty and sincere."
"That really is nice," said Dolly, smiling.
"Thank you," said I, smiling also. "She is very charitable; she
takes a pleasure in encouraging the shy and bashful--"
"How do you know that?" asked Dolly.
"While," I pursued, "suffering without impatience a considerable
amount of self-assurance."
"You can't know whether I'm patient or not," remarked Dolly.
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