RODERICK HUDSON
several. I never was a bit looked after in that way. I can at all events imagine situations for myself beyond any in fiction — above all in our poor bête English. Some good poetry, if there is such a thing nowadays, and some memoirs and histories and books of facts."
"You shall be served. Your taste agrees with my own."
She was silent a moment, looking at him. Then suddenly, "Tell me something about Mr. Hudson," she exclaimed. "You 're very, very great friends?"
"Oh yes," said Rowland; "we 're very, very great friends."
"Tell me about him. Allons! Begin."
"Where shall I begin? You know him for yourself."
"No, I don't know him; I don't find him so easy to know. Since he has finished my bust and begun to come here disinterestedly, he has grown a great talker. He says very fine things; but does he mean all he says?"
"Few of us do that."
"You do, I imagine. You ought to know, for he tells me you discovered him." Rowland was silent, and Christina continued: " Do you consider him very, very, very clever?"
"Very, very, very."
"His talent's really distinguished?"
"So it seems to me."
"In short, he 's a great genius?"
"Yes, call him a great genius."
"And you found him vegetating in a little village
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