"He is so engrossed in his philanthropic schemes that, I suppose, he really did not see you,"
interposed his sister, mildly. "But the ladies are not responsible for his peccadilloes."
"No, they cannot answer for their own, to me," retorted the other, with bitterness. "When I went in, last evening, she and her mother were both in the room. The old lady rose, civilly enough, but Mrs. R—— kept her seat, partly behind a table, even when I went to her and shook hands."
"Dear brother," expostulated his companion, "don't you know that Mrs. R—— is not well? She has not been out in
months."
"What the devil, then, does she make her appearance for, if she can't observe the common proprieties of life?"
"I doubt whether you would have seen her, had she not been in the room when you entered. Did she remain during the whole time of your call?"
"Certainly; but the old woman slipped out, when some bustle appeared to be going on in the hall, and never made her appearance again, at all, only sending in a servant, just as I was going away, to say that she 'hoped to be excused, as her father had just arrived.'"
"He is very aged, and she always attends upon him herself, when he is there, even to combing his hair," explained the gentler spirit. "I remember admiring her devotion to the old man, who is very peculiar, and somewhat disagreeable to persons generally, when I was staying there a day or two."
"Well, well; what has that to do with her treatment of me? Couldn't she trust him with the rest of the family for a few minutes? There is a tribe of women always on hand there, besides a retinue of servants."