There are permanent chains and things where there used to be polished precipices.

It makes the real mountaineers rather scornful; anyone with legs and a head, they will tell you, can climb the Matterhorn nowadays.

If I had the legs I'd go with him, like a shot." "To share the danger, I suppose ?" "And the sport." "Ah," said Mrs.Lascelles, "and the sport, of course! I had forgotten that!" Yet I did not perceive that I had been found out, for nothing was further from my mind than to prolong the parable to which I had stooped in passing a few moments before.

It had served its purpose, I conceived.
I had given my veiled warning; it never occurred to me that Mrs.
Lascelles might be indulging in a veiled retort.

I thought she was annoyed at the hint that I had given her.