'Oh, but you don't know what he said of Miss Smithers.'
'How should I?' returned Mrs. B. 'I wasn't so fortunate, you know, as to be one of his intimate friends.'
'That's true,' said Miss F.
'But,' continued the elder lady, 'let us hear what he said.'
'It was so funny that we all laughed.'
'How tantalizing you are! Why don't you repeat it, that we may laugh too?' said Mrs. B.
'Well,' replied Miss F., laughing, 'he said "she was bluff in the hocks."'
'Said "she was bluff in the hocks!"' said Mrs. B., as soon as she could recover from her laughter (in which her friends joined). 'No wonder you were all charmed with him; it is scarcely possible to imagine a more fascinating or witty young gentleman. But what did he mean, my dear, by bluff in the hocks?'
'I'm sure I can't say, Mrs. B.; but I know everybody thought it very funny and very amusing. I don't think anyone knew exactly what he did mean, but everyone laughed most heartily. I know I did.'
'Truly,' said Mrs. B., 'a more convincing proof of wit than that I can scarcely imagine; it must have been superlative when it amused everyone though no one understood it.'