"I'm afraid you didn't make much of Mr. Melmotte," she said smiling. He had seated himself on the end of a sofa, close to the arm-chair which she occupied. In reply, he only shook his head and laughed. "I saw how it was, and I was sorry for it; for he certainly is a wonderful man."
"I suppose he is, but he is one of those men whose powers do not lie, I should say, chiefly in conversation. Though, indeed, there is no reason why he should not say the same of me;--for if he said little, I said less."
"It didn't just come off," Lady Carbury suggested with her sweetest smile. "But now I want to tell you something. I think I am justified in regarding you as a real friend."
"Certainly," he said, putting out his hand for hers.

"I'm afraid you didn't make much of Mr. Melmotte," she said, smiling. He had seated himself close to her arm-chair. In reply, he shook his head and laughed.
"I was sorry for it," said Lady Carbury, "for he certainly is a wonderful man."
"I suppose he is, but he is one of those men whose powers do not lie in conversation. Though, indeed, if he said little, I said less."
"It didn't come off," Lady Carbury suggested with her sweetest smile. "But now I want to tell you something. I think I am justified in regarding you as a real friend."
"Certainly," he said, putting out his hand for hers.
