The Canon had said, a few minutes earlier:
“You must try some of our strawberry jam, Miss Duffle. My daughter Flora is responsible for it, I believe. Lucilla there is our housekeeper, but I am given to understand that her younger sisters are allowed to try experiments. I will not quote: Fiat experimentum.”
“Jam?” repeated Adrian.
“Oh, there’s a wasp in the jam! Oh, save me!”
Olga laughed as she uttered little cries of alarm, and her laughter really suggested the adjective “merry.”
“Save the women and children!”
There was much ineffectual slapping of teaspoons against the air, the tablecloth, the jam pot, and many exclamations.
“Yonder he goes! Passed to you for necessary action, Miss Admaston!”
“Be a man, Cuscaden; he’s right under your nose.”
“Dzorze, do be careful—you’ll get stung!” Olga cried across the table.