"Than us!" said the lady again defiantly. "Unquestionably it is 'than us!"
"Very well," he replied; "I'm not arguing about it, mater."
"I always say 'than us,'" said Sam Walford good-humouredly. "Ain't it right?"
"No," said Miss Wix; "of course it isn't, Sam!"
"Ridiculous!" declared Mrs. Walford, with asperity. "'Than we' is quite wrong—quite ungrammatical. I don't care who says it isn't—I say it is."
"A literary man might have been supposed to know," said Miss Wix ironically. "But Humphrey is mistaken too, then?"
"What's the difference—what does it matter?" put in Cynthia. "There's nothing to get excited about, mamma."
"I'm not in the least excited," said her mother, with a white face; "but I don't accept anybody's contradiction on such a point. I'm not to be convinced to the contrary when I'm sure I'm correct."
"Well, let's return to our muttons," said Kent. "Once upon a time there was a nurse, and——"
"Oh, you are very funny!" Mrs. Walford exclaimed. "Let me tell you, you don't know anything about it. And as to Emily, I don't take any notice of her at all. She may say what she likes."