"Rubbish it is--your ladyship's right," spoke Mrs. Macpherson. "Leastways, so it seems to us: but when folks have gifted minds, as the prefessor has, why perhaps they can see beauties in 'em that's hid to us others."
Not very complimentary on the whole; but Lady Ellis did not choose to see it.
"Of course," she said, "your husband is wonderfully clever; he has a world-wide fame. I heard of him in India."
"Clever on one side, a gander on t'other," said Mrs. Macpherson.
"A gander?"
"Well, you'd not say a goose, I suppose. In his sciences and his ologies, and his chemicals and his other learnings, why he's uncommon; there's hardly his equal, the public says. But take him in the useful things of life, your ladyship, and see what he's good for. Law bless me!"
"Not for much, I suppose," laughed Mrs. Chester.
"I'd be bound that any child of seven would have more sense. But for me helping him to it, he'd never have a meal; no, I don't believe, as I'm an honest woman, that he'd recollect to sit down to one. When he's away from me, he, as I tell him, goes in for trying to live upon air."
"Do you mean that he really tries to see if he can live upon it?"
"Bless you, no. He must know he couldn't. What I mean is, that he neglects his food--either forgets it out and out, or does not find time to sit down to it. And then his clothes! Look at the coat he has got on now."