'
'O Signor!' said Madame Cheron, with an affected smile, 'I perceive
you have learnt the art of complimenting, since you came into France.
But it is cruel to compliment children, since they mistake flattery
for truth.'
Cavigni turned away his face for a moment, and then said with a
studied air, 'Whom then are we to compliment, madam? for it would be
absurd to compliment a woman of refined understanding; SHE is above
all praise.' As he finished the sentence he gave Emily a sly look,
and the smile, that had lurked in his eye, stole forth. She
perfectly understood it, and blushed for Madame Cheron, who replied,
'You are perfectly right, signor, no woman of understanding can
endure compliment.'
'I have heard Signor Montoni say,' rejoined Cavigni, 'that he never
knew but one woman who deserved it.'
'Well!' exclaimed Madame Cheron, with a short laugh, and a smile of
unutterable complacency, 'and who could she be?'
'O!' replied Cavigni, 'it is impossible to mistake her, for certainly
there is not more than one woman in the world, who has both the merit
to deserve compliment and the wit to refuse it.
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