Mr. Thurber had any lingering fondness for her, it would do no harm to let him know that there were rivals in the field.
He was silent for some minutes after I finished speaking; then,—
"Why have you such a prejudice against Count Piloff?"
"Prejudice!" I repeated, vexed at being accused of such weakness. "It is not a prejudice. But I dislike his manner; and the fact that he is a foreigner is against him. I should be very unhappy if any one whom I loved were to marry a foreigner."
"Then you would advocate your cousin's being faithful to her first love," dryly.
"Certainly. I do not understand how a woman can change in that way. It seems to me that if I loved a man once, I should love him forever; and the women who are in love with a new man every year are generally those with very little character," I added with excitement.
My companion smiled in a superior manner, but refrained from contradiction.
"Every one likes Count Piloff," he said, after a moment. "Why should you not agree with other people?"
"Do you like him?" I asked boldly.
Mr. Thurber did not seem in the least discomposed by my question, but answered unhesitatingly,—
"Yes; I think him an agreeable fellow, excellent company, and not much like a Russian."
"There spoke a prejudiced Englishman! I would
