"Noble creature," I said, "do you mean to say that you've docked me of one of my Sunday sausages and the whole of my Thursday roly-poly pudding and never said a word about it?"
"Well, you didn't seem to notice it, so I left it alone."
"Ah, but I did notice it," I said, "but I determined to suffer in silence in order to set an example to the children."
"That was bravely done," she said. "It encourages me to cut down the Saturday sirloin."
"But what will the servants say? They won't like it."
"They'll have to lump it then."
"But I thought servants never lumped it. I thought they always insisted on their elevenses and all their other food privileges."
"Anyhow," she said, "I'm going to make a push for economy and the servants must push with me. They won't starve, whatever happens."
"No, and if they begin to object you can talk to them about tonnage."