“Why, because she will not be comforted.”
There wasn’t half so much laughing at this as at my question—although Mrs. Potiphar said it was capital, and I thought so too, when I found out who Rachel was.
But Mrs. Gnu continued to be like Rachel, and Mr. Boosey continued to try to amuse her. I think it was very hard she wouldn’t be amused by such a funny man; and he said at last aloud to her, meaning all of us to hear:
“Well, Mrs. Gnu, upon my honor, it is no epicure to try to console you.”
She did laugh at this, however, and so did the others.
“Have you ever been in Sennaar, Mr. Boosey?” said Kurz Pacha.
“No; why?”
“Why, I thought we might have learned English at the same school.”
Mr. Boosey looked puzzled; but Mr. Potiphar broke in:
“Well, Mrs. Gnu, I’m glad to see you smile at last. After all, the remark of the Ambassador’s was only what they would call in France, ‘a perfect bougie of a joke.’”