"Ay, now," cried Madame Duval, "that's another of the unpolitenesses of you English, to go to talking of such things as that: now in Paris nobody never says nothing about religion, no more than about politics."
"Why then," answered he, "it's a sign they take no more care of their souls than of their country, and so both one and t'other go to old Nick."
"Well, if they do," said she, "who's the worse, so long as they don't say nothing about it? It's the tiresomest thing in the world to be always talking of them sort of things, and nobody that's ever been abroad troubles their heads about them."
"Pray then," cried the Captain, "since you know so much of the matter, be so good as to tell us what they do trouble their heads about?-Hey, Sir Clement! han't we a right to know that much?"
"A very comprehensive question," said Sir Clement, "and I expect much instruction from the lady's answer."
"Come, Madam," continued the Captain, "never flinch; speak at once; don't stop for thinking."
"I assure you I am not going," answered she; "for as to what they do do, why they've enough to do, I promise you, what with one thing or another."
"But what, what do they do, these famous Monseers?" demanded the Captain; "can't you tell us? do they game?-or drink?-or fiddle?-or are they jockeys?-or do they spend all their time in flummering old women?"
"As to that, Sir-but indeed I shan't trouble myself to answer such a parcel of low questions, so don't ask me no more about it." And then, to my great vexation, turning to Lord Orville, she said, "Pray, Sir, was you ever in Paris?"
He only bowed.
"And pray, Sir, how did you like it?"
This comprehensive question, as Sir Clement would have called it, though it made him smile, also made him hesitate; however, his answer was expressive of his approbation.
"I thought you would like it, Sir, because you look so like a gentleman. As to the Captain, and as to that other gentleman, why they may very well not like what they don't know: for I suppose, Sir, you was never abroad?"
"Only three years, Ma'am," answered Sir Clement, drily.
"Well, that's very surprising! I should never have thought it: however, I dare say you only kept company with the English."