Lady Baldock was certainly the most indiscreet of old women in such a matter as this, and Violet the most provoking of young ladies. Lady Baldock, believing that there was something to fear,—as, indeed, there was, much to fear,—should have been content to destroy the card, and to keep the young lady away from the young gentleman, if such keeping away was possible to her. But Miss Effingham was certainly very wrong to speak of any young man as being A 1. Fond as I am of Miss Effingham, I cannot justify her, and must acknowledge that she used the most offensive phrase she could find, on purpose to annoy her aunt.
"Violet," said Lady Baldock, bridling up, "I never heard such a word before from the lips of a young lady."
"Not as A 1? I thought it simply meant very good."
"A 1 is a nobleman," said Lady Baldock.
"No, aunt;—A 1 is a ship,—a ship that is very good," said Violet.
"And do you mean to say that Mr. Finn is,—is,—is,—very good?"
"Yes, indeed. You ask Lord Brentford, and Mr. Kennedy. You know he saved poor Mr. Kennedy from being throttled in the streets."
"That has nothing to do with it. A policeman might have done that."
"Then he would have been A 1 of policemen,—though A 1 does not mean a policeman."
"He would have done his duty, and so perhaps did Mr. Finn."