"I do nothing of the kind."
"What are you doing then?"
"I'm making myself just as disagreeable as I can," answered Jane-Ellen. "Of course, I should have been delighted to do anything for any one who asked me politely. But when a man comes into my kitchen and talks about giving orders, and my doing as I'm told, and serving dinner, why, my answer is, he ought to have thought of his extra guests before he dismissed my brothers—"
"Your brothers!" cried Crane. "Do you mean to say that Smithfield is your brother too?"
"Well, I didn't mean to tell you," said the cook crossly, "but it happens to be true."
From the point of view of the irresistible force, the problem was now completely resolved.
"O Jane-Ellen!" he cried, "why in the world didn't you tell me so before?"
"I can't see what it has to do with things."
"It has everything," he answered. "It makes me see how wrong I have been, how rude. It makes me want to apologize for everything I have said since I came into the kitchen. It makes me ask you most humbly if you won't help me out in the ridiculous situation in which I find myself."
"But I don't see why Smithfield's being—"