“What do you think of Frederick? I suppose, Edward, you have an opinion. Isn’t he a very clever man?”
“I should not wonder if he were, mother, clever to a fault.”
“I never heard a young man talk better.”
“He talked a great deal, but then, you know, he was not on his oath.”
“I’ll warrant every word he said.”
“Your warrant is fine surety, mother, but I am not bound to believe all I hear. You women can please yourselves.”
And with these words he left the women to find out, if they could, what manner of man their newly-found kinsman might be.