RODERICK HUDSON
"Why," asked Rowland, "if he's happy?"
"Oh, I want companions in misery! Besides, I want to show off my dog." Roderick roused himself, sat up and unconfusedly stared. By this time Mrs. Light had approached, walking with a gentleman on each side of her. One of these was the Cavaliere Giacosa, the other was Prince Casamassima. "I should have liked to lie down on the grass and go to sleep," Christina added. "But it would have been unheard of."
"Oh, not quite," said the Prince in English, with a fine acquired distinctness. "There was already a Sleeping Beauty in the Wood!"
"Charming!" cried Mrs. Light. "Do you hear that, my dear?"
"When the Prince says a brilliant thing it would be a pity to lose it," said the girl. "Your servant, sir!" And she smiled at him with a grace that might have reassured him if he had thought her compliment ambiguous.
Roderick meanwhile had risen to his feet, and Mrs. Light began to exclaim on the oddity of their meeting and to set forth how, the day being lovely, she had been charmed with the idea of spending it in the country. And who would ever have thought of finding Mr. Mallet and Mr. Hudson asleep under a tree?
"Oh, I beg your pardon; I was very wide awake," said Rowland.
"Don't you know that Mr. Mallet 's Mr. Hudson's sheep-dog?" asked Christina. "He was mounting guard to keep away the wolves."
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