“Know what?” demanded that nobleman uneasily.
“That the mother has nothing to do with it?”
“How has she nothing to do with it? She has everything to do with it. Isn’t Susannah her daughter?”
“I have no reason to suspect the contrary. But in our country—you know——”
“Well, what about this extraordinary country of yours?”
“Why, in our country”—the Younger put it as gently as he could—“we don’t ask the mother.”
“What in the world do you do then? Is it like the Rape of the Sabines, par exemple! Do you ride in and carry them off?”
“O, not a bit! Sometimes they ride in and carry us off. But we—we are more discreet. We go in very softly and ask them if they’ll come.”
“Without waking the mother up? I see! It’s another invention.” The Elder was visibly annoyed.
“Come!” cried the Younger: “You needn’t be so fierce. I didn’t invent it. You had better be congratulating yourself that The General didn’t gobble you up on the spot—for herself.”