"Firstly, I ignore them as beneath me; secondly, I sacrifice them
all to a great cause. If Miss Bowater does not like my guests, let
her stay away."
Here Mrs. Duncombe stood on the step, crying out, "Well, Cecil, how
have you sped with Mrs. Bungay?"
"Horrid woman!" and no more was heard, as Cecil entered Mr.
Pettitt's establishment.
"That might be echoed," said Tom, who was boiling over at the speech
to his sister. "I knew that ape was an intolerable little prig of a
peacock, but I didn't think she could be such a brute to you, Rosie!
Is she often like that, and does your parson stand such treatment of
you?"
"Nonsense, Tom!" said Rosamond; "it doesn't often happen, and breaks
no bones when it does. It's only the ignorance of the woman, and
small blame to her--as Mrs. M'Kinnon said when Corporal Sims's wife
threw the red herring's tail at her!"
"But does Julius stand it?" repeated Tom, fiercely, as if hesitating
whether to call out Julius or Mrs. Charnock Poynsett.
"Don't be so ridiculous, Tom! I'd rather stand a whole shower of
red herrings' tails at once than bother Julius about his brother's
wife.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313