"Go on, Noll," exclaims Dorothy, in her most encouraging tone. "Let Violet hear it. She will understand it."
"I would, of course, with pleasure," stammers the unfortunate Nolly,—"only perhaps Violet heard it before!"
"Well, really, do you know, I think she did!" says Mona, so demurely that they all smile again.
"I call this beastly mean," says Mr. Darling to Geoffrey in an indignant aside. "You all gave your oaths to secrecy before I began, and now you are determined to betray me, I call it right-down shabby. And I sha'n't forget it to any of you, let me tell you that."
"My dear fellow, you can't have forgotten it so soon," says Geoffrey, pretending to misunderstand this vehement whisper. "Don't be shy! or shall I refresh your memory? It was, you remember, about——"
"Oh, yes—yes—I know; it doesn't matter; (I'll pay you out for this"), says Nolly, savagely, in an aside.
"Well, I do like a good story," says Violet, carelessly.
"Then Nolly's last will suit you down to the ground," says Nicholas. "Besides its wit, it possesses the rare quality of being strictly true. It really occurred. It is founded on fact. He himself vouches for the truth of it."
"Oh, go on; do," says Mr. Darling, in a second aside, who is by this time a brilliant purple from fear and indignation.
"Let's have it," says Jack, waking up from his reverie, having found it impossible to compel Violet's eyes to meet his.