I certainly had
not given her credit for so much sarcasm.
"Butler's!" exclaimed Miss Grogram, with a toss of her head.
"Oh, Aunt Sally, Aunt Sally! how can you?" shrieked the two young
ladies.
"Oh laws!" ejaculated Mrs. Jones.
"I don't think that they could have belonged to the butler," said
Miss Macmanus, with much authority, "seeing that domestics in this
country are never clad in garments of that description; so far my
own observation enables me to speak with certainty. But it is
equally sure that they were never the property of the general lately
in command at Antwerp. Generals, when they are in full dress, wear
ornamental lace upon their--their regimentals; and when--" So much
she said, and something more, which it may be unnecessary that I
should repeat; but such were her eloquence and logic that no doubt
would have been left on the mind of any impartial hearer. If an
argumentative speaker ever proved anything, Miss Macmanus proved
that General Chasse had never been the wearer of the article in
question.
"But I know very well they were his!" said Miss Grogram, who was not
an impartial hearer. "Of course they were; whose else's should they
be?"
"I'm sure I hope they were his," said one of the young ladies,
almost crying.
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