Mrs. Roberts, in hospitable remorse: ‘Oh, what am I thinking of! Here, Edward—or no, you’re too weak, you mustn’t. Willis, you help me to help him to the sofa.’
Mrs. Crashaw: ‘I think you’d better help him off with his overcoat and his arctics.’ To the maid: ‘Here, Bella, if you haven’t quite taken leave of your wits, undo his shoes.’
Roberts: ‘I’ll help him off with his coat—’
Bemis: ‘Careful! careful! I may be injured internally.’
Mrs. Roberts: ‘Oh, if you only were, Mr. Bemis, perhaps I could persuade Edward that he was too: I know he is. Edward, don’t exert yourself! Aunt Mary, will you stop him, or do you all wish to see me go distracted here before your eyes?’
Willis, examining the overcoat which Roberts has removed: ‘Well, you won’t have much trouble buttoning and unbuttoning this coat for the present.’
Bemis: ‘They tore it open, and tore my watch from my vest pocket—’
Willis, looking at the vest: ‘I see. Pretty lively work. Were there many of them?’
Bemis: ‘There must have been two at least—’
Mrs. Roberts: ‘There were half a dozen in the gang that attacked Edward.’