"She tore that to pieces."
"She has been knitting a new cap this week," said Mrs. Sharland.
"I like that! She has done it to please me," said Elijah, his eye twinkling. "I loved her in that; and I hate to see her as she was tricked out to-day."
"We are waiting for you to carve," said Goppin.
"Don't forget we like fat," said Grout.
"I say," murmured Jabez Bunting, a storekeeper, "look at the gravy, how it oozes out; I'm fit to jump at the sight. Don't think we eat like ladies of quality, Rebow. Give us good large helpings, and the redder and rawer the better."
"Someone," said Elijah, "tell Abraham Dowsing to go on the sea-wall and look out for Glory, and bring her home."
"There's the boy what rowed me here," said Mrs. De Witt. "He is sitting outside on the step, and I'm throwing him the bits of skin and fat and gristle. I'll send him."
"Really," observed the Rev. Mr. Rabbit, after a fit of sneezing, "the circumstance reminds the student of Holy Writ somewhat of Queen Vashti."
"What do you mean?" asked Elijah abruptly.
"No offence, no offence meant," gasped the curate, waxing very red; "I only thought your good lady was to-day like Queen Vashti."
"Glory is like nobody," said Rebow, with some pride. "There never was, there never can be, another Glory. I don't care who or what your Vashti was—Was she beautiful?" shortly interrupting himself.
"Did she bring property into the family!" asked Mrs. De Witt, leaning over Elijah's shoulder and emptying his tumbler. "Elijah! you must replenish. Look hospitable, and keep the liquor flowing."
"I really don't know," said Mr. Rabbit.
"Then what do you mean by saying she was like my Glory?" asked Rebow angrily.
"I—I only suggested that there was a faint similarity in the circumstances, you know. King Ahasuerus made a great feast—as you have done."
