"Ha!" said the layman.
"But," the Archdeacon continued, "she has all her other faculties. Can your mother still read?"
"My mother is a most accomplished and assiduous knitter," said the bearded man.
"No doubt, no doubt," the Archdeacon agreed; "but my question was, Can she still read?"
"With glasses—yes," said the other.
"Ha!" exclaimed the Archdeacon, "I thought so. Now my dear mother can still read the smallest print without glasses."
We murmured our approval.
"And more," the Archdeacon went on, "she can thread her own needle."
We approved again.
"That's all very well," said the other, "but sight is not everything. Can your mother hear?"