Leonore had stopped on the step above him.
"That shows how foolish you were to go out in the rain," said Leonore.
"Yes," said Peter, venturing on the smallest smiles.
Leonore promptly explained the charge in Peter's "yes." "It's very
different," he was told. "I put on tips and a mackintosh. You didn't put
on anything. And it was pouring torrents."
"But I'm tough," said Peter, "A wetting won't hurt me."
"So am I," said Leonore. "I've tramped for hours in the Orkneys, and
Sweden and Norway, when it was raining. But then I was dressed for it.
Go and put on dry clothes at once."
That was what Peter had intended to do, but he saw his advantage. "It
isn't worth while," he said.
"I never heard of such obstinacy," said Leonore. "I pity your wife, if
you ever get one. She'll have an awful time of it."
Peter did not like that view at all. But he did not forego at once his
hope of getting some compensation out of Leonore's wish. So he said:
"It's too much trouble to change my clothes, but a cup of your tea may
keep me from taking cold.
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