I merely named the time." "What's time," says Mrs.Snagsby, "to eternity ?" "Very true, my dear," says Mr.Snagsby.

"Only when a person lays in victuals for tea, a person does it with a view--perhaps--more to time.

And when a time is named for having tea, it's better to come up to it." "To come up to it!" Mrs.Snagsby repeats with severity.

"Up to it! As if Mr.Chadband was a fighter!" "Not at all, my dear," says Mr.Snagsby.
Here, Guster, who had been looking out of the bedroom window, comes rustling and scratching down the little staircase like a popular ghost, and falling flushed into the drawing-room, announces that Mr.
and Mrs.Chadband have appeared in the court.

The bell at the inner door in the passage immediately thereafter tinkling, she is admonished by Mrs.Snagsby, on pain of instant reconsignment to her patron saint, not to omit the ceremony of announcement.