“I couldn’t do that so soon again, sir, really. I swore only as short ago as yesterday, sir, by your express order, but—”
“I mean asseverate to his lordship that the very last boy has knocked for the very last time.”
“It wasn’t so much the knocking, sir, his lordship complained of, as the boys coming to the door meeting the boys going away from it, and blocking up the pavement, sir, so that no one could get past and—”
“Yes, yes. Go and asseverate at once, Mr. Ferdinand.”
“Very well, sir. And Her Grace, the Duchess of Camberwell, who is passing from one fit to another, sir, from fright at the uproar and telegrams going to the wrong house, sir?”
“Implore Her Grace to have courage and to trust me as a gentleman when I promise solemnly that the knocking shall not be renewed.”
“Very well, sir.”
“Mr. Ferdinand!”
“Sir?”
“Have the knockers swathed in cotton-wool at once.”