"The old fox! That's your religious chaps. I'll go and give 'em both brimstone. Where are they?"
"I don't know where—but you must not—it is all too horrible. There's nothing even to sleep on. We thought of borrowing your furniture!"
"What! And give the whole thing away to the Jonases—and lose Rhoda, perhaps. Good heavens, Sally. Don't be so beastly selfish. Think of the disgrace, if we can't cover it up."
"The disgrace is for father, not for you."
"Don't be an idiot. Old Jonas looked down on us enough already, and if it hadn't been for Kitty's calling on him in the Samuelsons' carriage, he might never have consented to the engagement."
"Oh, dear!" said Salvina, melted afresh by this new aspect. "My poor Lazarus!" and she gazed dolefully at the handsome youth who had divided with Kitty the good looks of the family. "But still," she added consolingly, "you couldn't have married for a long time, anyhow."
"I don't know so much. I had a very promising interview this afternoon with the manager of Granders Brothers, the big sponge-people."
"But you don't understand travelling in sponge."
"Pooh! Travelling's travelling. There's nothing to understand. Whatever the article is, you just tell lies about it."
"Oh, Lazarus!"