“I am not much used to say the word,” said Belle, “but to oblige you I will decline it as you wish;” 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?”
“I did not hear it, but I dare say it is thunder; in Armenian—”
“Never mind what it is in Armenian; but why do you think it is thunder?”
“Ere I returned from my stroll, I looked up into the heavens, and by their appearance I judged that a storm was nigh at hand.”