‘Sometimes,’ she said, a little wearily, ‘Clementina tries me. I’m afraid she doesn’t practice enough, and I have to tell her the same things so often. And then she always dresses entirely in white, and that does get monotonous. But General Pinkney is the dearest old man! I wish you could know him, Joe. He comes in sometimes when I am with Clementina at the piano-he is a widower, you know-and stands there pulling his white goatee. “And how are the semiquavers and the demi-semiquavers progressing?” he always asks.
‘I wish you could see the wainscoting I that drawing-room, Joe! And those Astrakhan rug portieres. And Clementina has such a funny little cough. I hope she is stronger than she looks. Oh, I really am getting attached to her, she is so gentle and high bred. General Pinkney’s brother was once Minister to Bolivia.’