It seemed to him that, since the old lady evidently knew who he was, she might be a little more respectful in her manner.
"The festivities were all over soon after eleven," he said stiffly.
"But perhaps you are accustomed to early hours ?" "Perhaps I am," said the old lady; she seemed more amused than abashed by Peter's dignity of demeanour.

"At any rate, I like my beauty sleep to be undisturbed; more especially in the country, where there are so many noises to wake one up from four o'clock in the morning onwards." "I have always understood," said Peter, who inherited his father's respect for platitudes, "that the country was much quieter than the town.

I suppose you live in a town ?" "I suppose I do," said the old lady.
Peter put up his eyeglass indignantly, to quell this disrespectful old woman with a frigid look, modelled upon the expression of his board-ship hero.
The door opened suddenly.
He dropped his eyeglass with a start.

But it was only Mrs.Hewel who entered, and not Sarah, after all.
Her _embonpoint_, and consequently her breathlessness, had much increased since Peter saw her last.
"Oh, Peter," she cried, "this is nice of you to come over and see us so soon.

We were wondering if you would.