"'Tis a monstrous great age, sir!"
"I begin to fear it is!" said he rather ruefully.
"And great age is apt to be peevish and slothful and childish and fretful and must be ruled. So come you over the wall this instant, sir!"
"And wherefore, madam?"
"'Tis so my will!"
"But——"
"Plague take it, sir, how may I sew on your abominable buttons with a wall betwixt us? Over with you this moment—obey!"
The Major obeyed forthwith.