"How COULD I have swallowed it! such a large thing as a patty-pan!"
She got up and went to the table, and felt inside the pie-dish again with a spoon.
"No; there is no patty-pan, and I put one in; and nobody has eaten pie except me, so I must have swallowed it!"
She sat down again, and stared mournfully at the grate. The fire crackled and danced, and something sizz-z-zled!
Duchess started! She opened the door of the TOP oven;—out came a rich steamy flavour of veal and ham, and there stood a fine brown pie,—and through a hole in the top of the pie-crust there was a glimpse of a little tin patty-pan!
Duchess drew a long breath—
"Then I must have been eating MOUSE!… NO wonder I feel ill…. But perhaps I should feel worse if I had really swallowed a patty-pan!" Duchess reflected—"What a very awkward thing to have to explain to Ribby! I think I will put my pie in the back-yard and say nothing about it. When I go home, I will run round and take it away." She put it outside the back-door, and sat down again by the fire, and shut her eyes; when Ribby arrived with the doctor, she seemed fast asleep.
"Gammon, ha, HA?" said the doctor.
"I am feeling very much better," said Duchess, waking up with a jump.
"I am truly glad to hear it!" He has brought you a pill, my dear
Duchess!"