‘Didn’t she ask you what means you had? what was your income?’
‘Not exactly in the categorical way you put it, but she alluded to the possible style we should live in.’
‘I’ll swear she did. That girl asked you, in plain words, how many hundreds or thousands you had a year?’
‘And I told her. I said, “It sounds humbly, dearest, to tell you we shall not have fully two thousand a year; but the place we are going to is the cheapest in the universe, and we shall have a small establishment of not more than forty black and about a dozen white servants, and at first only keep twenty horses, taking our carriages on job.”’
‘What about pin-money?’
‘There is not much extravagance in toilet, and so I said she must manage with a thousand a year.’
‘And she didn’t laugh in your face?’
‘No, sir! nor was there any strain upon her good-breeding to induce her to laugh in my face.’
‘At all events, you discussed the matter in a fine practical spirit. Did you go into groceries? I hope you did not forget groceries?’
‘My dear Lockwood, let me warn you against being droll. You ask me for a correct narrative, and when I give it, you will not restrain that subtle sarcasm the mastery of which makes you unassailable.’