She said my mother had been using Aunt Fanny as a chaperone." Amberson emitted a laugh of disgust.

"It's wonderful what tommy-rot a woman in a state of spite can think of! I suppose you don't doubt that Amelia Amberson created this specimen of tommy-rot herself ?" "I know she did." "Then what's the matter ?" "She said--" George faltered again.

"She said--she implied people were--were talking about it." "Of all the damn nonsense!" his uncle exclaimed.

George looked at him haggardly.

"You're sure they're not ?" "Rubbish! Your mother's on my side about this division because she knows Sydney's a pig and always has been a pig, and so has his spiteful wife.
I'm trying to keep them from getting the better of your mother as well as from getting the better of me, don't you suppose?
Well, they're in a rage because Sydney always could do what he liked with father unless your mother interfered, and they know I got Isabel to ask him not to do what they wanted.