“It soundeth very like tyrant,” said Belle.
“I care not what it sounds like,” said I; “it is the word I chose, though it is not of the first declension. Master, with all its variations, being the first noun, the sound of which I would have you learn from my lips. Come, let us begin—
“A master Dyer, Of a master, Dyèrn. Repeat—”
“The word sounds very strange to me,” said Belle. “However, to oblige you I will do my best;” and thereupon Belle declined master in Armenian.
“You have declined the noun very well,” said I; “that is in the singular number; we will now go to the plural.”
“What is the plural?” said Belle.
“That which implies more than one, for example, masters; you shall now go through masters in Armenian.”
“Never,” said Belle, “never; it is bad to have one master, but more I would never bear, whether in Armenian or English.”
“You do not understand,” said I; “I merely want you to decline masters in Armenian.”
“I do decline them; I will have nothing to do with them, nor with master either; I was wrong to—What sound is that?”