"It is; and it's going to begin as soon as I get out of bed."
"And what are you going to bring out of bed with you?"
"Common sense," said Francesca.
"Not at all," I said. "You're going to bring out of bed with you that hard reactionary bureaucratic spirit which all but ruined Russia and is in process of ruining Germany. It will be just as if the TSARITSA got loose and began to have her own way again. By the way, Francesca, what does one do when the butcher says there won't be any haunch of mutton till Tuesday, or when the grocer refuses you your due amount of sugar?"
"A TSARITSA," said Francesca haughtily, "cannot concern herself with sugar or haunches of mutton."
"But suppose that the TSARITSA has got German measles. Couldn't she manage to beat up an interest in mundane affairs?"
"I'll tell you what," said Francesca.
"Do," I said; "I'm dying to hear it."
"Well, you'd better let the strong wind of a man's intellect blow through them."
"What," I said—"through the haunch of mutton?"