“Ah! it’s fine fun for you. But if you had been baited by her for a couple of hours, as I was, you could not have stood it much better than I did. Why, she had the impudence to insist upon my acting in direct opposition to your wishes; and all but insinuated that I was a fool not to take her advice.”
“A very serious offence, indeed,” said Lyndsay, laughing. “Instigating my wife to an act of open rebellion. But I am sure you will not profit by her example.”
“Indeed, no! She’s the very last woman in the world I should wish to imitate. Still I feel angry with myself for letting my temper get the better of prudence.”
“What a pity, Flora, that you did not fight it out. I would back my good wife against twenty Mrs. Grundys.”
“She would scratch my eyes out, and then write a horrid sonnet to celebrate the catastrophe.”
“Nobody would read it.”
“Ah, but she would read it to everybody, and bore the whole town with her lamentations.”
“Let her go, Flora. I am tired of Mrs. Grundy.”
“Indeed, I was glad enough to get rid of her, which reconciles me to the disagreeable manner in which I offended her.”
“Let us talk of your Canadian plans,” said Mary. “When do you go?”