Waffles than any one else. Still, the
mere questions, put in a playful, womanly way, helped the time on, and
prevented things coming to that frightful deadlock of silence, that causes
an involuntary inward exclamation of 'How _am I_ to get through the time
with this man?' There are people who seem to think that sitting and looking
at each other constitutes society. Women have a great advantage over men in
the talking way; they have always something to say. Let a lot of women be
huddled together throughout the whole of a livelong day, and they will yet
have such a balance of conversation at night, as to render it necessary to
convert a bedroom into a clearing-house, to get rid of it. Men, however,
soon get high and dry, especially before dinner; and a host ought to be at
liberty to read the Riot Act, and disperse them to their bedrooms, till
such times as they wanted to eat and drink.
A most scientifically sounded gong, beginning low, like distant thunder,
and gradually increasing its murmur till it filled the whole mansion with
its roar, at length relieved all parties from the labour of further
efforts; and, looking at his watch, Jawleyford asked Mrs.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196