I've swallowed all climates. As I'm here I'll stay; I haven't got any cousins in Sicily."
"Your cousin is certainly an inducement. But what does the doctor say?"
"I haven't asked him, and I don't care a fig. If I die here Mrs. Osmond will bury me. But I shall not die here."
"I hope not." Lord Warburton continued to smoke reflectively. "Well, I must say," he resumed, "for myself I am very glad you don't go to Sicily. I had a horror of that journey."
"Ah, but for you it needn't have mattered. I had no idea of dragging you in my train."
"I certainly didn't mean to let you go alone."
"My dear Warburton, I never expected you to come further than this," Ralph cried.
"I should have gone with you and seen you settled," said Lord Warburton.
"You are a very good fellow. You are very kind."
"Then I should have come back here."
"And then you would have gone to England."
"No, no; I should have stayed."
"Well," said Ralph, "if that's what we are both up to, I don't see where Sicily comes in!"
His companion was silent; he sat staring at the fire. At last, looking up—
"I say, tell me this," he broke out; "did you really mean to go to Sicily when we started?"
"Ah, vous m'en demandez trop! Let me put a question first. Did you come with me quite—platonically?"
"I don't know what you mean by that. I wanted to come abroad."
"I suspect we have each been playing our little game."
