“Yes, madam?” I replied mildly, holding my nose, which had been smitten by the door.
She made no answer, but stood, a basilisk in mien.
“I just came, my dear Mrs. Daniver,” I began, “to ask you——”
“And time you did, sir-r-r-r! I was just coming to ask you——”
“And time you did, my dear Mrs. Daniver—I have missed you so much, these several days. So I just called to ask for your health.”
“You need not trouble about my health!”
“But I do, I do, madam! I give you my word, I was awake all night, thinking of—of your neuralgia. Neuralgia is something—something fierce, in a manner of speech—if one has it in the morning, my dear Mrs. Daniver.”
“Don’t ‘dear Mrs. Daniver’ me! I’m not your dear Mrs. Daniver at all.”
“Then whose dear Mrs. Daniver are you, my dear Mrs. Daniver?” I rejoined most impudently.
“If the poor dear Admiral were alive,” said she, sniffing, “you should repent those words!”