"Not feeckle, John," says she.
"Yes," says I, "feeckle, dom'd feeckle. Dinnot tell me thou bean't,
efther yon chap at schoolmeasther's," says I. "Him!" says she, quite
screeching. "Ah! him!" says I. "Why, John," says she--and she coom a
deal closer and squeedged a deal harder than she'd deane afore--"dost
thou think it's nat'ral noo, that having such a proper mun as thou
to keep company wi', I'd ever tak' opp wi' such a leetle scanty
whipper-snapper as yon?" she says. Ha! ha! ha! She said whipper-snapper!
"Ecod!" I says, "efther thot, neame the day, and let's have it ower!"
Ha! ha! ha!'
Nicholas laughed very heartily at this story, both on account of its
telling against himself, and his being desirous to spare the blushes of
Mrs Browdie, whose protestations were drowned in peals of laughter from
her husband. His good-nature soon put her at her ease; and although she
still denied the charge, she laughed so heartily at it, that Nicholas
had the satisfaction of feeling assured that in all essential respects
it was strictly true.
'This is the second time,' said Nicholas, 'that we have ever taken a
meal together, and only third I have ever seen you; and yet it really
seems to me as if I were among old friends.
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