"My dear Lily, what have I said or done?"
"My dear aunt, I believe that Bertha, in the slang of the Stock Exchange, signifies the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. I suspect that Mr. Ely imagines that you have been amusing yourself at his expense."
Mrs. Clive was aghast.
"Go to him, Lily. Don't leave him alone in his present state of mind. He might return at once to town!"
Miss Truscott rose with her most tranquil air.
"We might survive his departure if he did."
But her aunt was shocked.
"Lily, it pains me to hear such language from your lips. You are now approaching one of the most solemn moments of your life. Rise to the occasion, child, and show that, although still a child in years, you have within you the wherewithal with which to make a woman in good time."
Miss Truscott looked as if she could have said something if she would, but she refrained. She left the room without a word.