Very unfriendly, certainly; and he must be a very odd man; but we are so glad to have her amongst us again! And it is a great comfort to find that she is not a poor helpless creature, but can shift very well for herself." Mr.Allen expressed himself on the occasion with the reasonable resentment of a sensible friend; and Mrs.Allen thought his expressions quite good enough to be immediately made use of again by herself.

His wonder, his conjectures, and his explanations became in succession hers, with the addition of this single remark--"I really have not patience with the general"-- to fill up every accidental pause.

And, "I really have not patience with the general," was uttered twice after Mr.
Allen left the room, without any relaxation of anger, or any material digression of thought.

A more considerable degree of wandering attended the third repetition; and, after completing the fourth, she immediately added, "Only think, my dear, of my having got that frightful great rent in my best Mechlin so charmingly mended, before I left Bath, that one can hardly see where it was.

I must show it you some day or other.