“Thank you so much,” said Miss Perry.
The old lady turned to Miss Perry, who appeared to be stimulated by the morsel she had eaten, and even more so by the prospect of another.
“By the way,” said the old lady, “where is Slocum Magna?”
Miss Perry’s blue eyes, which by now were perfectly dry, opened to a width that was astonishing. The ignorance of London people was really very remarkable.
“Slocum Magna is the next village to Widdiford,” said Miss Perry.
“Ah, yes, the next village to Widdiford. One ought to have known.”
The manner in which Miss Perry strove to extenuate the painfully obvious ignorance of her august and formidable relation was really a triumph of good breeding.
“They haven’t quite got the railway at Widdiford yet, don’t you know,” said Miss Perry, “but it is only three miles away, of course.”
“The railway is only three miles away, of course,” said the old lady, assenting with a grim chuckle.
The arrival of the second relay of bread and jam imposed silence upon Miss Perry. The faithfulness with which it was dealt with was quite equal to that previously displayed. It is no exaggeration to say that Miss Burden still looked a little frightened, while Ponto raised himself on his forepaws with a look of open admiration.