“Yes,” added Charley; “the author may be said to tip the reader a wink, ‘unbeknownst’—behind No. 1’s back. Now don’t, Alice; do sit down and let’s go on. That’s right. Why, in a novel, even a physician would ask, ‘Are you ill?’—even _he_ could not distinguish between the indications of love and the symptoms of colic.” “In one word,” said Alice, “those words make a book a novel,—and their absence makes this—a sym—” Charley here burst into a quotation, speaking fearfully through his nose: “Of this disease the great Napoleon died. Some say that Napoleon was a great man; some say that Washington was a great man; but _I_ say that true greatness consists in moral grandeur. With this brief digression, gentlemen, we will resume our subject.” “Why, who on earth could have said that?” cried Alice; “it is immense!” “Have you never heard Jack or myself quote it before? It was the one solitary gem of rhetoric in the annual course of lectures delivered by old P-P-P-P—too many confounded p-p-p-p’s! Imitate his example,—resume!” “Where did I leave him? Ah! ‘Are you ill?’ said I, and he blushed as red as a rose. I waited a moment, then said, ‘You have lost the cue; repeat after me,—“It—is—nothing!”’ ‘It is nothing,’ repeated he; ‘it—will—soon—pass! it will soon pass.’ “‘Will it?’ said I, charging bayonets. ‘That is the question, Mr. Don,’ said I, folding my arms,—these two, not the bayonets,—‘you are in love!’ I looked him straight in the eyes, for my blood was up! My fear was all gone!” (“It has never come back!” said Charley.) “‘To deny it would be useless as well as ungallant. Who would believe me? Constantly associated for so long with a bevy of charming—’ “‘A bevy! Are you enamoured of the whole flock? Is there no bright particular star? May I make a guess? Ah, I see I need not name her.’ “‘Miss Carter,’ said he, after a pause, ‘you seem so different from your usual self this morning! Or are you merely laying a train for a phenomenal display of fire-works? Are you in earnest, or are you preparing to blow me up with an explosion of fun?’ “‘I am in earnest, and I am going to blow you up, too. Listen: but before broaching my main topic, I must say one word on Mary Rolfe.’ “‘I had thought that she was to be the main theme of your sermon.’