A lively repartee, piquant raillery, a quarrel seasoned with a trifle of malice, a happy citation, a graceful recitation, are not these so many distractions for her, and the time thus employed, is it not so much gained for virtue?
Repartee is never Frank's forte.
A repartee is an immediate and witty reply, perhaps to a remark of similar character which it is intended to surpass in cleverness.