"Mr. Deronda is in the next room."
"Yes," said Mirah, in her former tone. "He is reading Hebrew with my brother."
"You have a brother?" said Gwendolen, who had heard this from Lady Mallinger, but had not minded it then.
"Yes, a dear brother who is ill--consumptive, and Mr. Deronda is the best of friends to him, as he has been to me," said Mirah, with the impulse that will not let us pass the mention of a precious person indifferently.
"Tell me," said Gwendolen, putting her hand on Mirah's, and speaking hardly above a whisper--"tell me--tell me the truth. You are sure he is quite good. You know no evil of him. Any evil that people say of him is false."

"Mr. Deronda is in the next room."
"Yes," said Mirah. "He is reading Hebrew with my brother."
"You have a brother?"
"Yes, a dear brother who is consumptive, and Mr. Deronda is the best of friends to him, as he has been to me," said Mirah.
"Tell me," said Gwendolen, putting her hand on Mirah's, and speaking hardly above a whisper- "tell me the truth. You are sure he is quite good. You know no evil of him. Any evil that people say of him is false."
