Page:Carroll - Notes by an Oxford Chiel.djvu/151

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THE BLANK CHEQUE.
9

to do more, 'and as we can't agree where to go, and yet we must go somewhere——did you say half a cup?'

'Thanks,' said I. 'You were going to tell me what it was you settled.'

'We settled,' said the good lady, pouring out the tea without a moment's pause in her flow of talk, 'that the only course was—(cream I think you take, but no sugar? Just so)—was to put the whole matter——but stop, John shall read it all out to you. We've drawn up the agreement in writing—quite ship-shape, isn't it, John? Here's the document: John shall read it you—and mind your stops, there's a dear!'

John put on his spectacles, and in a tone of gloomy satisfaction (it was evidently his own composition) read the following.

'Be it hereby enacted and decreed,

'That Susan be appointed for the business of choosing a watering-place for this season, and finding a New School for Angela.

'That Susan be empowered not only to procure plans, but to select a plan, to submit the estimate for the execution of such plan to the House-keeper; and, if the House-keeper sanction the proposed