Anthony Hope

“ Three girls and two boys."
"Getting big too, aren't they?"
"Fine children, Mr. Carter," observed Dolly cheerfully.
"She was certainly a clever girl—in those days."
"Ah, in those days!" Dolly murmured, with an indulgent smile—one that means you can go on if you like, but that you are obviously rather foolish.
"Idyllic happiness," said I, resuming my seat, "comes to very few of us, Lady Mickleham."
"Well, one marries, or something, you see."
"There is, of course, one's career."
"Archie's quite keen on being an Under-Secretary." ”

“ Dolly murmured.
"Oh, but I'm sure mamma meant——"
"Mamma meant that you'd been flirting with the curate, Jane."
"Dorothea dear!" gasped Lady Jane.
"The secret of love lies, I suppose, in unselfishness" (I threw out the suggestion in a tentative way) .
"That's what makes Archie such a good husband," said Dolly.
"It must, of course, exist on both sides, Lady Mickleham."
"Oh, no, that's tiresome. It's like getting through the door—nobody'll go first."
"True. You spend all your time trying to be allowed to do what you don't want to do; and the other party does the same." ”

“ I looked at Dolly. I think we must have smiled.
"I might have known there was some such reason," said I.
"I do wonder what's become of Jane, and why they don't bring Fushahima back," said Dolly.
"It's always a comfort to get at the real reason of anything. Now if my name had been Vavasour—or——"
"I don't mind 'Mr. Carter' so much, but 'Mrs.Carter' sounds horrible," Dolly explained. ”