"Well, it isn't a Barmecide's feast, by any means," said Cornelia, who was amused at Janet's artless joy. "The plates may be made of paper, but they are fresh and so are the eggs and bacon."
She set these articles on the table.
"All the principal dishes are of agateware," she said, in answer to a question of Janet's. "I've got four of everything necessary—four cups, four saucers, four glasses, four knives, four spoons, and so on. But don't imagine that we have wrapping paper for a table cloth every day. Dear, no! That's only for guests of honor and on Sundays. On week days we use newspapers."
"That's a novel way of taking one's newspaper with one's meal."
"Oh, it's old news. I always use the newspaper of a week ago. And it's curious how often I run across some interesting bit of politics or scandal that escaped me a week before. Sometimes, while devouring a roll, I catch myself in the midst of a slobbery article by Hutchins Burley in the Evening Chronicle. The wretch is running a series of articles called: 'The Soul of Woman under Freedom.'"
She gave Janet a circumstantial report of the encounter with Burley during the night. Janet followed this narrative with sympathetic interest, and wished that she and Claude had arrived in time to prevent the occurrence.
"But then your knight-errant would have missed his opportunity," she said.
"Think of the loss! By the way, I met him this morning, Araminta."
"In ambush at the door?"
"No, in the hallway downstairs. I had gone out for some cream. On my way back I ran right into his arms."