"'The parson so astonished was,
Astonished was, astonished was—
The parson so astonished was to see—the cat profanes!
"'He took his book and threw it down,
And threw it down, and threw it down—
He took his book and threw it down, and bound the cat in chains.'"
Mrs. Gano was as "astonished" at this performance as "the parson." Ethan nodded a grave encore.
"Nwingy Tat!"
Whereat they all laughed with the best humor in the world, and Ethan was carried off to bed.
Mrs. Gano, under plea of weariness from travel, made her "good-nights" at the same time, arranging to return to Ashburton Place the next day.