The joke was quite unworthy of the Greek Professor's reputation, but for Mrs.Moon's purposes he could hardly have made a better one.
Louisa had put a terrible weapon into the Old Lady's hands.

It was many weapons in one.

It could be turned on in all its broad robust humour--"Fooliana!" Or refined away into a playful or delicate suggestion, pointed with an uplifted finger--"Fooli!" Or cut down and compressed into its essential meaning--"Fool!" But whichever missile came handy, the effect was much the same.

Juliana's complexion grew redder or grayer, but her state of mind remained unchanged.

Sometimes the Old Lady tried a graver method.
"If you would cultivate your mind a little in the evenings you would have no time for all this nonsense." But Juliana had abandoned the cultivation of her mind.