“What, never?” cried the Canon, with immense gusto.
“Well, ’ardly ever,” she answered, beaming.
“Capital! Capital!”
“Now don’t you laugh at me. The fact is, I sometimes ’ave a little drop in my tea.”
“Bless me, why didn’t you say so? Winnie, you really ought to have told me. Ring the bell.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that, my lord,” said Mrs. Railing, who feared she had expressed too decided a hint.
“My dear lady!” cried the Canon, as though he had only just escaped a serious breach of hospitality. “What is it you take? Rum?”
“Oh, I can’t bear it!” cried Mrs. Railing, throwing up both her hands and making a face.
“Whiskey?”